


Icarus held the sun away to keep from being burned

by xTarmanderx



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mutants, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2019-06-24 06:30:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 34,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15624726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xTarmanderx/pseuds/xTarmanderx
Summary: Liam is a pyromancer who is struggling with his powers. He gets an invitation to attend the Beacon Institute for Higher Learning and goes there in hopes of learning to control his abilities. Along the way, he makes new friends and maybe, just maybe, he'll fall in love along the way.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure how I got here but I've written a mutant AU styled similar to the X-Men. Just with Teen Wolf characters instead. Hope you enjoy!

It wasn’t supposed to happen. For seventeen years, Liam had managed to keep his abilities buried. Small outbursts had been easy to cover up and hide but this time...this time there was no lie big enough to cover this up. It had started with his lacrosse team at his prep school. They’d bullied him, taunting him because he wasn’t like them. He’d never been able to make the grades, he was openly bisexual, and he was better than all of them when it came to sports. The invitation to the abandoned zoo had been a surprise but he’d been all too eager to accept. The chance to finally fit in? It was too good to pass.

He should have known better. In hindsight, the entire idea was ridiculous. Who did secret team bonding at an abandoned zoo? But he’d wanted to be one of them and he hadn’t questioned it. It wasn’t until they had him trapped in one of the enclosures, laughing from the safety of a viewing room, that he’d made his mistake. Anger and humiliation had consumed him, boiling his blood until his whole body trembled from the force of his rage. Flames had sprung from his fingertips, scorching the ground below and decimating everything they had touched. In seconds the enclosure was completely consumed in fire that choked his lungs and made his nostrils sting from the smoke. He hadn’t been able to contain it. 

The boys from his team had escaped before the glass completely melted and they’d gotten minor injuries. They’d been too afraid of Liam to tell any adults but it was too late. Liam had run home, collapsing into his mother’s arms with a litany of apologetic sobs as he told her everything that had happened. She’d shared a worried look with his father and promised Liam he wouldn’t have to go back to school, rubbing his back to comfort him. After that, he’d avoided phone calls from his former team and had locked himself away in the safety of his home. It was easier that way.

Until it wasn’t.

-

“Mom? I was thinking I could borrow the car and go get a burger for lunch!” Liam called as he jogged downstairs. He rounded the corner into the living room, pausing at the sight of an older dark-skinned man and a black-haired woman. “Oh. I’m sorry-” He looked at his mom sitting on the couch, her lips pressed in a thin line.

“Liam. Honey. Sit down, I’d like you to meet some people.” She patted the spot next to her and offered a weak smile as he sat. Her hand came to rest on his knee, squeezing lightly. ‘This is Dr. Alan Deaton. He’s head of the Beacon Institute for Higher Learning. This is Melissa McCall, a nurse and professor there. They’d like a moment to talk to you.”

“I thought we said I could finish classes online.” Liam said quietly.

“I’m afraid our institute is a little different from what you’re used to, Liam. Our students are considered advanced for very... _ unusual _ reasons.” Deaton smiled warmly over at him. “I’ve heard about your ability, Mr. Dunbar. I’m here only to offer a way to help you control it. We’re just like you.”

“Huh?” Liam frowned and looked between the adults in confusion. “You mean...there are more people that control fire?”

“There are,” Deaton chuckled softly, “but that isn’t exactly what I meant. We have abilities as well. Ms. McCall here has the power to heal others. I have what I like to call ability intuition. I can see how other people’s abilities work, how to control it, and how to master it over time. I use that to teach people like you.”

“I...I thought I was alone.” Liam swallowed the lump in his throat. 

“We have a lot of students around your age at our institution. There are shapeshifters, elementalists, people with unimaginable abilities. Your mother reached out to us and after reviewing your school records, we’d like to offer you a place in our school. We think you’ll be able to thrive and connect with people your own age that are going through similar situations.” Melissa explained. 

“You don’t have to go, baby. You can say no.” Jenna turned to look at Liam. “But I know how lonely you feel. This could be the opportunity you’ve been looking for…”

“Where is this school?” Liam frowned. “Why haven’t I heard of it?”

“We’re private and located on the west coast, in California. We’ll pay for your flight or for your family to drive you there if that’s what you prefer to do.” Deaton smiled gently. “You don’t even have to decide right now. We can leave you with a pamphlet and our contact information if you’d like to wait a few days to think it over.”

‘Is it safe?” Liam asked, tensing as six surprised eyes looked over at him. “Will I be able to hurt anyone there?”

“While I can’t promise you’ll always be safe, what I can promise is that I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are. I will make sure you aren’t a threat to yourself or anyone else. And if mistakes happen then we will use them as a learning experience and strive to do better next time.” Deaton’s words made something close to hope flutter inside Liam’s chest. It was the closest he’d felt to that in a long time and slowly his lips turned up in a smile.

“Then I want to go.”

-

Two weeks later, after handling paperwork and preparing for his move across the country, Liam was finally able to step foot on the campus. He’d said his goodbyes to his parents at the airport, hugging them both tightly and promising to call before boarding his flight. A man named John Stilinski had picked him up when he’d landed, holding a sign with Liam’s name on it and his favorite cup of coffee. When he’d asked how the man had known, he was rewarded with a wink and told the future rarely lied. 

John dropped him off in front of the building, promising that someone was waiting inside to give Liam the grand tour. Now he was walking up the stairs to a mansion, feeling as though the breath had been punched from his lungs. How was a place like this a school? He hesitated in front of the polished oak door, almost knocking before he decided to just pull it open. He stepped inside, colliding immediately with a dark-skinned boy. “Oof!” He grunted and stumbled back into the door, tripping over his suitcase.

“Dude!” The other boy reached out and grabbed his arm. “I’m so sorry! I was just coming outside because you looked super nervous and I worried you were overwhelmed. I’m Mason. You must be Liam, right? Mr. Stilinski said he was dropping you off but sometimes he gets the timing wrong.”

“Uh yeah, that’s me.” Liam smiled weakly. “You’re my roommate, right?” He vaguely remembered seeing the name Mason somewhere in the papers he’d been given. 

“Yeah. Come on, our room is upstairs. After that, we can grab some food if you’re hungry and then do our tour. Then the rec room.” Mason grinned and reached for his suitcase, taking it before Liam could protest. He smiled and wrapped his fingers around his shoulder bag before following the other boy, taking the stairs two at a time.

“I could go for some food. I might have to sleep for the next three days though.” He laughed weakly as he followed him to the end of the hall and into a room on the left. 

“Most of us felt the same way when we got here.” Mason told him as he set the suitcase on the empty bed closest to the door. His own half of the room was decorated with band posters and abstract art that Liam didn’t know how to interpret. “So can I ask if the rumors are true? Are you really a pyromancer?”

“If that means I can do things with fire then yeah. I can’t demonstrate it but…” Liam shrugged and tossed his bag onto the floor. “What about you?”

“Check it out.” Mason grinned and slowly rotated his hand in front of him. Liam’s eyes tracked the movement, widening as silver metal slowly danced from Mason’s fingertips and covered the skin down to his wrist. “Deaton calls it metal mimicry. It’s like armor, it’s pretty sweet.”

“That’s awesome,” Liam breathed out in fascination as Mason’s skin returned to normal. “People here really have different abilities like that?” It was still hard to believe. 

“My boyfriend Corey can camouflage himself. We’ve got a guy that can possess animals, a guy that can shapeshift into animals, a girl who has a dual personality with two sides that each have different abilities...it’s so wild.” Mason beamed and led Liam back downstairs, heading for a large cafeteria. “Most people are hanging out in the rec room right now. It’s the start of our fall break today so classes ended at noon. A lot of us are going home to see our families for the week but some of us stay. We go into town, hang out around here, there’s a million things we can do. And the adults use this time to travel and go on missions and stuff.”

“Missions?” Liam frowned as he followed Mason down a buffet line to grab food. 

“Yeah. So when you turn eighteen, you can join one of the teams and help track down rogue mutants and stop them from hurting people. No one has to though it’s completely your decision. My boyfriend is joining one of the teams next month.” Mason explained as he led Liam over to an empty table. As they ate, he discussed some of the past missions he’d heard the adults coming back from and some of the classes he’d loved in the past. Mason told him he’d been there for two years and enjoyed every minute of it. Liam was grateful the other boy filled the silence with random stories, this was still a lot to wrap his head around.

After lunch, Mason led him around the main building and showed Liam where he needed to go if he needed anything. It wasn’t long before they were heading to the recreation room, Mason eager to show Liam the pool table and arcade games that were set up. He smiled as they walked into a room filled with students like them, no one giving them a second glance. A brown-haired boy immediately bounded up to them, planting a kiss on Mason’s cheek before shyly smiling at Liam.

“Hey, I’m Corey. You must be Liam.” 

“That’s me. Mason’s been showing me around.” Liam scratched the back of his neck, glancing around the room nervously. Mason followed his gaze and reached over, gently squeezing his shoulder.

“Okay. See those two playing that shooter game? That’s Scott and his best friend, Stiles.” he pointed at the pair closest to them. “Stiles has a perfect memory, he can literally recall any thing at any time. No matter how big or small. Scott? He can possess animals. The strawberry blonde over there? Lydia can see overlapping dimensions. She sees this world and things we can’t see and she can pull the things we can’t see into our world. The girl to her left? That’s Malia. Diagnosed with two personalities, one can create force fields and the other can make you see your worst fears. The other girl? Kira. She can-”

“Mason, you’re going to overwhelm him.” Corey interrupted gently as he tugged at his arm. 

“It’s okay, really.” Liam smiled weakly and glanced around the room again. His gaze shifted as a new boy walked in, weaving his way through the crowd of students gathered. He was about to look away when he caught sight of his back, his eyes going wide. “Holy…”

“The exact opposite of holy,” Mason snorted softly as he followed Liam’s gaze. “Trust me, that’s one person you want to stay away from.”

“I’ve never seen wings like that.” Liam whispered, watching the other boy crouch in front of a bookshelf and begin thumbing through the copies on the bottom shelf. The tips of blue feathers brushed against the floor, the color transforming into dark purple and then red as his eyes roamed up the wings. The boy turned his head, green eyes narrowing as he caught Liam staring. Teal rippled through his wings, changing them completely for a moment before they settled into the multicolored set again. 

“What are you looking at?” The boy sneered, snatching a book from the shelf and standing back up. Liam worked his mouth open to answer him but the words wouldn’t come out, stuck on the tip of his tongue. Rolling his eyes, the boy tucked his wings in tighter to his back and walked out without another word.

“I didn’t do anything to him!” Liam whispered, giving Mason a wide-eyed look.

“You didn’t have to, he doesn’t like anyone.” Mason sighed and gave him an apologetic smile. “That’s Theo Raeken. He doesn’t like anyone. If I were you, I’d stay away from him. He’s trouble.”

“Trouble?”

“He’s been here longer than every student here. Rumor has it that he killed his older sister, pushed her off a bridge and let her die. He’s gotten in fights with half of the kids here and he’s got the worst reputation. People won’t even share a room with him.” Corey said quietly, shaking his head. “Mason’s right, he’s bad news.”

“But don’t worry,” Mason smiled brightly and tossed his arm around Liam’s shoulders. “Stick with us and we’ll make sure you survive. You’re going to love it here.

“I’m sure I will.” Liam murmured, his gaze lingering on the doorway where Theo had exited. He wasn’t sure he believed what the other two were telling him but one thing was for sure. He was going to find out the truth. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam spends some time one on one with Theo. He might not be such a bad guy.

After unpacking everything, Liam had changed into shorts and a tank top and asked Mason to direct him to the gym. He was feeling wired after his flight, restless in a way that was starting to manifest in ways that would only lead to trouble. Honestly, he was lucky that his laptop charger hadn’t melted. Corey had been the one to notice the smoke and grab it before he could do any damage. He’d blushed furiously and squeaked out an apology while Mason had muttered a quiet ‘ _intense_ ’ under his breath.

The short trek to the gymnasium behind the main building was quiet, most of the campus deserted. He’d overheard Scott and Stiles planning some kind of outing in the rec  room and most people had promised to go. Mason apparently had decided on a quiet night in with Corey watching movies in the abandoned rec room and Liam was all too eager to leave them to it. He liked the pair well enough but he didn’t want to spend his first night on campus acting as a third wheel.

He eased open the door to the gym and slipped inside, surprised to find that the facility wasn’t pitch black. The low hanging lights had been switched on, small circles of light reflecting onto the polished floor below, creating a path of circles toward the weight room where Liam was headed. The door was cracked open, light spilling out into the gym, and he edged closer in silence as curiosity got the better of him. Leaning against the frame of the door, he peeked his head inside and watched the flurry of movement within.

Theo Raeken had his back to him, his wings completely uncurled as he danced around the punching bag with a quick succession of jabs and high kicks. The color of his wings had changed, dark brown at the center with black tips edging all of his feathers. For a moment, Liam wanted to reach out and comb his fingers through them to find out if they were as soft as he was imagining. He kept his distance instead, watching in silence as Theo threw a jab and then a hook, finishing with a high kick before he fell back a half step. He lifted his arm against his face, wiping away a thin layer of sweat before scoffing.

“You just going to stand there all night or did you need something?” His words snapped Liam out of it and he flushed, slowly easing himself into the room.

“Sorry.” He rubbed at the back of his neck and offered what he hoped was an apologetic smile. “I didn’t think anyone else would be out here.”

“If you think you’re going to find solitude at a place like this, you’ve got another thing coming.” Theo said as he turned to face Liam. He tried not to scowl, reminding himself that it wasn’t nice to punch people even if they came across like total dicks. Still…

“I don’t know what the fuck your problem is with me but I’m sorry.” He snapped, the words flying out of his mouth before he could resist. Surprise flickered across Theo’s face, his eyes widening slightly. The corners of his lips twitched upward, a slow smirk spreading as he tilted his head.

“You really do have a temper, don’t you? Your reputation precedes you, hothead.” His smirk was absolutely infuriating and Liam counted backwards from ten, breathing deeply through his nose. He was not going to give this asshole the satisfaction of seeing him lose his cool. He shook his head and turned toward the wall of weights, starting in that direction. He’d barely made it three steps before Theo cleared his throat, drawing his attention back. Pausing in place, he rolled his shoulders back to ease some of the tension in them and waited for the other man to speak.

“Look,” Theo exhaled slowly and Liam turned himself around. The other boy was raking his fingers back through his hair and looking down at the floor. “I’m sorry about earlier. I get...snippy with new people. Deaton says I need to work on it.” He lifted his head and offered a half-smile. “I’m Theo.”

“Liam.” He smiled weakly in return, shifting from his heels to his toes and back again. “I’m sorry. Can I just ask...why? Like what did I do earlier?”

“Nothing everyone else hasn’t done.” Theo said, his wings fluttering and folding in against his back. His eyes widened in recognition, mouth falling open to form a small ‘o’ as the realization dawned on him.

“I’m sorry my staring made you uncomfortable. This is all new to me. I didn’t know there were other people like us and you have wings and they’re just so pretty.” A light flush spread across Theo’s cheeks and his own face heated up. He covered it with a loud groan, dragging the heels of his palms over his eyes. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Theo’s quiet laugh was warm and soothed part of him. “You don’t treat me like a leper like everyone else does. This is...nice.”

“You’re only saying that because you don’t know me yet. Give me an hour and I’ll change your mind.” Liam said before he could help himself. Theo snorted in amusement, the tips of his wings turning light pink. “Do they always do that?” Liam blurted out, cocking his head slightly.

“What?” Theo extended one wing and furled it around his body, glancing down at the subtle change in color. “Oh.That…” he hesitated, fingers lightly stroking across his feathers before he met Liam’s curious gaze. “How about we make this more interesting?”

“More interesting than a guy with multicolored wings and a guy that can burn everything to the ground?” Liam arched an eyebrow and Theo chuckled deeply.

“You ever kickbox?” Theo asked, turning to his right and crossing the room in a couple of long strides. He knelt beside a wooden box and pulled out gloves and a pair of mitts, tossing the gloves toward Liam. “We’ll keep it simple. I’ll let you practice your punches and kicks and test your stance. If you lower your guard and I get a hit in, I get to ask a question. If you manage to block my hit, you get to ask a question. Sound fair?”

“Oh you’re on.” Liam smirked and picked up the gloves, sliding them on. It took a couple of minutes to wiggle his fingers through the spaces and adjust the velcro wrap around his wrists but he was ready shortly after, nodding at Theo. “Any question is fair game?”

“Depends on the question.” Theo smirked and Liam barely had time to lift his hands in defense before the first jab was thrown. He kept his glove pressed against his temple to absorb the impact, grinning as Theo granted him an impressed look.

“Why do your wings change color?” He asked, stepping to his right as Theo slowly started to circle him.

“Jab, crossover, hook, uppercut, and kick. You right or left dominant?” Theo asked.

“Right.” Liam said before throwing his first punch, connecting solidly with the mitt. He reeled his fist back and kept it raised by his temple, following it with a crossover from his other hand.

“They’re indicative of my mood. Probably why everyone avoids me. I don’t let it show that often, Deaton’s been helping me control it.” Theo threw another quick jab at his temple, lightly connecting with his skin. “So why are you here?”

“I thought you already knew that?” Liam frowned and rolled his shoulders back, swinging a fast hook and chasing it with an uppercut that glanced off the mit. “Let me do that again.” He shifted back to correct his stance, using his body this time to make a firm blow land on the mitt.

“I don’t buy into the rumors from everyone else.” Theo shrugged and moved back a couple of steps, urging Liam to follow and continue the flow of movement.

“My former…” he hesitated, lingering back half a step. He couldn’t really call them his friends, could he? Not after the way they’d treated him. “I was on the lacrosse team at my old school. They were jerks and decided it’d be cool to lock me in an abandoned zoo enclosure and I got pissed. Burned half of the place down and some of them got hurt in the process. Nothing major but...it was enough.” He blocked a second jab from Theo. “How long have you been here?”

“Since I was eight so…” Theo took a moment to count, repositioning the mitts for Liam to throw his next few punches. “Follow the uppercut with your knee and then a high kick.” He said, arcing back to his left before he could accidentally walk into the treadmill behind him. “It’s been about ten years for me. I was the youngest. I heard Finstock’s been here since he was a kid too but no one really knows for sure.” He followed Liam’s hook with a jab, nodding in approval as Liam blocked him again. “You aren’t half bad.”

“My stepdad taught me. Lacrosse wasn’t always enough to let my anger out so he and I used to spar together. It’s been a while though,” Liam confessed. “And then when my...whatever started to manifest, it got harder to spar with him.”

“You’re doing a fine job controlling it right now.” Theo told him.

“Only because I’m exhausted from my flight and I’m not worried about hurting you. Can you hide your wings too or are they always on display?” Another hit glanced off his jaw and he winced, flexing the muscle.

“I can fold them into my back but it’s uncomfortable. It’s a lot easier to just cut holes in my shirts and let them be.” Theo shrugged and moved back, Liam following with ease. “You play anything besides lacrosse?”

“Nah. I tried baseball once when I was a kid but...I got hit in the face and punched the pitcher. A lot.” Liam darted back as Theo struck again, smirking. “What’s the most annoying thing that people ever ask you?” He raised his fists again but Theo suddenly stopped, his feet rooted to the spot. “Dude-“

“I think that’s enough for now.” Theo murmured, stepping back and slowly peeling the mitts off. He tossed them toward the open chest along the wall, rolling his shoulders back as he turned for the door. “You’re not half bad, Dunbar.”

“I’m sorry...did I do something?” He slowly undid the velcro strips and wriggled his fingers from the gloves, bright red knuckles coming to light.

“Next time wrap them.” Theo took a few steps and paused in the doorway, one hand on the frame. “My sister.” He said softly, the words barely audible in the space between them. “They always ask about my sister.” He dropped his hand and kept walking, leaving Liam standing alone in the middle of the room.

-

He slowly trudged back to his room after spending a little longer lifting weights and then showering, lost in his own thoughts. He’d hoped for a glimpse of Theo but a quick check of the rec room came up empty and he didn’t want to press his luck by actively seeking him out. Maybe after he’d had some time to himself he would come back and Liam could apologize. Not that he felt he needed to. He’d asked a normal question but the response had been...less than ideal.

To be perfectly honest, he was more surprised that the other boy had opened up so willingly. He’d expected more animosity after their first encounter and what Mason and Corey had told him. But a light round of sparring and a shortened version of twenty questions? That was the last thing he’d expected to walk into. Theo had shown a side that Liam hadn’t expected and he regretted making a snap judgment of the boy, brief as it had been. He knew what it was like to be silently condemned for things that weren’t true. That was a chapter of his past that he never wanted to experience again.

He knocked once on his bedroom door before turning the handle, praying that Mason and Corey were decent before walking in. He didn’t know the couple all that well but he got the feeling that they liked to get handsy whenever the opportunity presented itself. Thankfully the pair were sitting on the edge of Mason’s head, both peering down at something on Corey’s phone. “Hey,” he greeted as he walked over to the closet and tossed his gym clothes in the hamper. “What are you two looking at?”

“Funny cat videos.” Corey said without looking up.

“We were watching conspiracy videos but somehow we always end up here.” Mason smiled fondly at his boyfriend. “Bet it was nice having the gym to yourself. Oh dude. You didn’t need anyone to spot you, did you? I didn’t even offer.”

“It was fine.” Liam shifted on his feet for a moment and exhaled slowly. “Actually, it was great. And then it got weird. I ran into that guy, Theo.”

“ _What_? Details.” Corey said immediately, locking his phone and turning to give Liam his full attention. Mason mirrored him, crossing his legs under himself and leaning his elbows down onto his knees.

“He was in there working out. Things were weird at first but then we did some kickboxing techniques. Just warmups really and I guess we played a game? I got to ask questions and so did he but then he got weird about it and left. I think I struck a nerve.” Liam admitted as he sat down on his bed, flopping onto his back. He drew one leg up with his knee pointed at the ceiling, ceiling both arms behind his head. “He didn’t seem all that bad.”

“Trust me, he is.” Mason said. “Honestly I’m surprised he didn’t kick your ass just because.”

“I don’t know,” Liam hummed softly and shrugged. “I think maybe you’re wrong about him.”

“Just be careful.” Corey said gently. “He hospitalized this one guy, Donovan. It was pretty bad.” He murmured. Liam nodded and closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. He asked about the movie they had been watching earlier and let the sound of their voices soothe him to sleep, where green eyes were waiting for him.


	3. Chapter 3

Liam rolled out of bed the next morning feeling more at ease than he had in months. A small part of him was homesick but overall he was in good spirits. No longer would he have to worry about watching every step and making sure no one knew his secret. Maybe letting his guard down would be the key to mastering his ability. Perhaps it was wishful thinking but Liam needed something in his life to be easy for once. Why not wish for this?

He grabbed his shower caddy and a change of clothes, slipping quietly from the room so he didn’t disturb Mason and Corey who were soundly sleeping. He made his way down the hall to the boy’s bathroom and pushed the door open. A low hum filled the air and he paused, catching the door so it didn’t fall shut as he listened to the person in the shower continue to hum. The voice was vaguely familiar, tickling at the back of his mind. He eased the door shut and quietly made his way to the farthest shower to turn the water on. The humming stopped immediately and he swallowed hard, feeling a little guilty. “Sorry. You don’t have to stop.” He spoke up.

“Of course it’s you.” Theo’s amused voice returned. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Hey.” Liam smiled nervously as he stripped from his boxers and stepped into the warm spray of water. “About last night-“

“Not your fault.” Theo’s voice was soft as the water at the other end of the room cut off. “I’m not upset. You asked and I answered.”

“But…”

“Liam. It’s okay. Really. You don’t owe me anything.” Theo’s voice was drifting closer to the door and Liam closed his eyes, listening to him leave. Why did it bother him so much? He barely knew the guy and yet...he wanted to. He found himself curious in a way he wasn’t normally and it made his skin buzz in excitement. Theo might be stubborn but what he didn’t know what that Liam shared the same trait and he was twice as annoying.

-

The cafeteria was empty when Liam made his way downstairs, freshly dressed and feeling good. He yawned and made his way through the line, grateful everything in the buffet was fresh and still steaming. As he glanced around the room, he spied true blue feathers brushing the ground, nearly hidden behind a pillar at the far end of the room. He grinned to himself and made his way over, setting down his tray across from Theo and dragging out a chair. “Hey,” he greeted as he reached for the salt and pepper for his eggs.

“Oh my god,” Theo snorted softly. “There are dozens of other tables in here. What do you want?”

“To not spend my first breakfast here alone,” Liam replied as he speared a mouthful for himself. “Why is everyone else still asleep? It’s like...11 or something.”

“Try 8.” Theo chuckled softly, his shoulders relaxing as he began to dig into his hashbrowns. “Jet lag apparently didn’t slow you down. Give it another day or two.” He suggested before taking a deep breath. “Look-”

“I won’t ask about her.” Liam cut him off, glancing up to meet surprised eyes. “It’s personal and none of my business. I don’t really care for the rumor mill either. My old school was pretty rough. So...are we cool?” He asked, biting down on his lip. He didn’t miss the way that Theo’s eyes tracked the movement or how his wings became tipped in lime green. “You know, that doesn’t really seem fair.” He added when Theo remained silent as he pointed at his wings. “They change a lot.”

“Guess that makes me an emotional guy.” Theo smirked, winking. The rest of the tension disappeared from his body as Liam smiled. “And we’re cool. Pretty sure you’re not going to leave me alone unless I say we are.”

“It’s one of my best traits.” Liam beamed. Within the next few minutes the cafeteria began to fill up, a few students carrying bags - most likely going home or on vacation for their fall break - and a few teachers entered as well. Most took one look in their direction and steered clear, keeping as far as possible. It made Liam’s stomach twist to see Theo treated like an outcast. How could he be anything other than decent? Sure, he was a little snarky but Liam chalked that up to being part of his charm. Did everyone really believe that he’d killed his sister? Call him crazy but he didn’t buy that for a second.

As the room began to fill with people, he watched as Theo’s wings shifted through a multitude of colors before settling into something that took his breath away. Every single feather was a different color, no two shades alike and nowhere near touching each other. It was like looking at the most beautiful rainbow he’d ever seen, all fragmented colors and soft edges blurring together. “You’re staring again,” Theo informed him as he stood with his empty tray. “Is this a regular thing with you too?” His lips twitched into a smirk as he touched two fingers to his forehead in a mock salute. “Later, Liam.” He strolled away, disappearing through the door. Liam had barely taken a breath before Mason and Corey were on him, sliding into chairs across from him.

“Well hello to you too,” he said casually as he reached for his apple juice.

“You were having breakfast with him?” Corey asked softly, careful to keep his voice low.

“I really think you guys are wrong about him. Have you ever given him a chance?” Liam asked. From the hesitant looks on their faces, he guessed he hit the mark. “He’s cool. He’s actually kind of funny and maybe a little full of himself but not in a bad way. I appreciate you guys trying to look out for me but this isn’t Harry Potter meets Draco Malfoy. I can make my own friends just fine and decide who is a good person and who isn’t. So just...let me try, okay? I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself. Maybe you should try and get to know him.” He suggested softly.

“I’m sorry.” Corey said, his cheeks turning red as he ducked his head in embarrassment. “You’re right. And maybe we aren’t being fair to him. I’ve just...I’ve heard a lot of bad things and seen the results.”

“You said he beat up that Donovan kid, right? Did you ever ask why?” Liam raised an eyebrow. “Ever wonder what happened to make him snap?”

“Of course. We asked around but no one knew anything. It was all hush hush.” Mason frowned. “Still not really sure what happened.”

“Maybe you should figure out the truth before you start spreading more rumors. I can say from experience that shit hurts.” Liam gathered his tray and stood up. “I want to like you guys. I do. But if being judgmental is what it means to be your friend then count me out.” He said softly before turning and walking away. He was almost at the door when someone called his name and he sighed, ready to tell someone off when Professor Deaton stepped into view. “O-oh. Hi professor.”

“Just Deaton is fine, Liam.” He smiled kindly. “I’m sorry to bother you now but I’d like to meet with you in my office in an hour. Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble.” He assured as Liam’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “I just want to check in and see how you’re adjusting. Maybe talk about your powers and what you hope to accomplish here.”

“I’d like that.” Liam said, smiling weakly. “One hour? Where at?”

“My office. It’s toward the other end of the hall, there’s a series of double doors with a sign outside. You can’t miss it.” Deaton explained. “I’ll see you in an hour.” He patted Liam on the arm and walked away, going to join a table of older people that Liam assumed were other professors. Feeling a little better, Liam headed up to his room to see if he could finish decorating his half of the shared space.

-

Deaton wasn’t alone when he arrived at his office. Liam felt his muscles tense as he watched the man lounging on a couch in the office, looking perfectly at ease. “Sorry...am I interrupting?” He asked, hesitating near the door.

“Not at all. Liam, this is Peter Hale. He’s the professor of mutant history. He has a nephew that teaches here and a daughter that attends the school. I wanted to him to be a part of this meeting.” Deaton assured with a warm smile. “Have a seat,” he inclined his head to the inviting maroon chair across from his desk and Liam did as told, sinking into the cushions. “As I’m sure you’ve already been made aware, our school is currently operating on fall break. Classes will resume next Thursday. This is a great opportunity for you to explore town and get to know the campus, as well as the students and staff that will be remaining here. How are you doing so far?”

“Great. I’m sure jet lag will catch up with me soon but...everything is fine so far.” Liam bit the inside of his cheek, hesitating a moment. Should he ask about Theo? He knew the other man wouldn’t be able to give away personal details but maybe he could offer some comforting words. As he opened his mouth to ask, the man behind him cleared his throat.

“I don’t mean to be rude, Deaton, but perhaps you should ask for a demonstration? Let me see what I’m working with.”

“What?” Liam’s brow wrinkled as he looked back at the man. “A demonstration…?”

“I wanted to talk to you about your abilities, Liam. The method I’ve found that works best is by asking for a small demonstration of what you can do. It helps me understand how it works and to develop a plan of action. Along with that, we use a mentoring program where you will pair up with an adult who will help you train and focus your abilities.” Deaton explained, settling his palms against his desk. “Would you mind demonstrating for us?”

“I can’t.” Liam said immediately, shaking his head and shifting uncomfortably. “I...I don’t want to ruin your office. I can’t control it.”

“Of course you can’t. No one is born with automatic control. It’s a learning process.” Peter assured, standing up and moving to stand behind Liam’s chair. “Deaton knows what he’s talking about. We’ll be able to monitor it and stop you if things get out of hand.”

“And what do you do?” Liam asked, tilting his head back to look at the older man. Peter smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he leaned down a little.

“Me? I get angry.”

“We call it primal fury,” Deaton cut in gently. “Professor Hale can tap into his anger and use it to perform at an increased capacity.”

“Like an adrenaline rush on steroids,” Peter said when Liam gave him a blank look. “Deaton just likes giving things fancy names.”

“Oh.” Liam muttered as his cheeks flushed. “That...makes sense.”

“Liam, we won’t let you hurt either of us or destroy my office. I promise.” Deaton said gently. “Just focus on your ability and see what you can do.”

“Right. Okay.” Liam took a deep breath and nodded. He sat up a little straighter and closed his eyes, inhaling through his mouth and exhaling gently through his nose. He tried to picture the fire as something burning at his center, a brightly lit ball that he could reach out and touch. But try as he might, the visual wasn’t working. His fingers remained cold and his ability just out of reach, taunting him.

“This isn’t working.” Peter murmured so quietly that Liam almost missed it. The thought irked him, scratching just below the skin and stirring the rage that was usually present. He took another slow breath, trying to block out the distractions of the room. Peter shifted behind him and he could feel the man at his side, leaning across the desk toward Deaton. “I think he has performance issues.” The dig was a shock to his system and Liam clenched his jaw, digging his fingers into his thighs. “Maybe this was a mistake, Deaton. Maybe he’s not a mutant after all. Maybe he imagined it all.”

The rage flickered white hot and Liam lurched to his feet, turning and baring his teeth in a snarl at Peter. The older man merely smirked in response, inclining his head in a small nod of approval. Surprised, Liam dropped his gaze to find the flames steadily swirling from his wrists up to his elbows, threatening his shirt as it began to smoke. He jumped back with a soft noise, shaking his arms out until the flames disappeared. Guilty eyes swung to Deaton and he swallowed hard, his voice breaking. “I’m _sorry_ , I tried to warn you-”

“Mr. Dunbar, there’s nothing to be sorry about. You did exactly what I asked of you. Forgive Professor Hale for being himself, but his method worked.” The man smiled warmly, no trace of anger in his expression. “You’re guided by your emotions, by anger. Most young mutants are when powers first develop. There is nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Really?” Liam asked, biting down on the inside of his cheek as he slowly sank back into his chair.

“I promise you. Learning control takes time, Liam. Tell me something. In six months time, what would you like to have accomplished here?”

“Six months?” Liam furrowed his brow, taking a moment to reflect on his answer. “I’d like to have some form of control. Maybe be able to throw fireballs like they do in movies. Something small and simple that I can control.”

“That’s a perfectly reasonable goal. I have no doubt in my mind you can accomplish that.” Deaton smiled warmly. “As for now, I’d like for you to meet twice a week with Professor Hale after classes on Tuesday and Thursday. You’ll be receiving your schedule later in the week. For right now, I encourage you to get to know your fellow students and feel free to stop by my office at any time. I’ll be checking in on you periodically to make sure that things are going well.”

“Thank you.” Liam said, getting back up. He sent Peter a somewhat nervous smile and nod of acknowledgment before leaving the office, shutting the door quietly. Feeling a little better, he headed back to his room. As soon as he opened the door, Mason sprang up from his bed and held his hands out in front of him in what was meant to be a non threatening gesture.

“You came back! Look, I wanted to apologize for what I said. You were right.” He began, not giving Liam a chance to speak. “I’ve been a total dick to Theo and it isn’t fair to him. I hate bullies and I never wanted to become one, that’s not who i am and my mom raised me better. I can’t promise my opinion is just going to change in one day but I want to give it a try. I’ll stop saying bad things about him and if I hear anyone saying it, I’ll shut them down. Corey feels the same way. He’d be here to say the same but he had to go to a meeting with the counselor, it’s for mission stuff and it’s not my place to talk about.”

“Mason.” Liam said, fighting a grin as the other boy paused to take a breath. “Relax. I’m not mad at you. Thanks for straightening things out. I didn’t know Theo before coming here so it’s not like I know the guy that well. For all I know, you’re partially right about him. I just want to be able to decide for myself. We cool?” He asked, raising his fist.

“Yeah. For sure.” Mason grinned and bumped fists with him, relief flickering in his face. “Do you maybe want to go meet some of the other guys? Scott and Stiles were talking about hosting a video game tournament in the rec room. You interested?”

“Hell yeah.” Liam broke into a sincere smile. “Let’s go.” He turned back to the doorway, pulling it open just as Theo brushed past the door. The other boy paused for a moment, frowning in confusion before he spotted Mason over Liam’s shoulder.  “Hey. You going to play in the tournament?” Liam asked, curling his fingers into his palm so he didn’t do something stupid like reach for him.

“I wasn’t invited.” Theo said, shrugging lightly.

“You are now.” Mason intervened, smiling nervously. “Hey Theo.”

“Mason.” He returned, an edge of suspicion in his voice.

“See? It’ll be great. Come on.” Liam said, grinning slightly. “Unless of course you’re too scared to play with us. Scared to lose?”

“In your dreams.” Theo snorted softly. “I’ll go. You lead the way.”

“Great.” Beaming, Liam stepped aside to let Mason out of their room before shutting the door and heading for the stairwell. “Get ready to be crushed, both of you.” He said over his shoulder as he descended the stairs. Smirking, he headed confidently for the rec room and allowed himself the moment to be immensely pleased with himself. Maybe, just maybe, he could help Theo find a place to belong here. He’d done it for Liam, the least he could do was return the favor.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special shoutout to Kane for our massive spiral that led to this chapter and helped flesh out the future of this fic more clearly. And Dana, for being a rockstar and an awesome cheerleader.

After checking twice to make sure Theo didn’t just disappear without a word, Liam walked into the rec room with Mason and Theo on his heels. A group of eight were crowded around the tv in a half circle, four controllers being used by players, as the sounds of Super Smash Bros Brawl filled the room. He recognized Scott and Stiles, remembering them from Mason’s introduction from the day before, but the others were a mystery and only vaguely familiar. Mason stepped up behind him, lowering his voice against Liam’s ear so he didn’t interrupt the game. “Scott and Stiles are right there, side by side. That’s Malia, Brett, Nolan, Isaac, Kira, and Lydia. There are some other people floating around here somewhere but there’s also a team out for a short mission.”

“How long do missions usually take?” Liam asked, watching as Isaac cursed at a loss and elbowed Stiles, knocking his controller out of hand. 

“The longest I’ve heard was six months. It was covert and mostly teachers that went. Most don’t last longer than a few days.” Mason said, glancing back at Theo for confirmation. The other boy nodded, surprise flickering on his face as his wings twitched behind him. The lime green returned at the edges, disappearing just as quickly. Huh. Maybe his wing colors and emotional ties weren’t that hard to figure out. He’d have to talk to Mason about it later and theorize. He shared a quick smile with Mason before stepping back to Theo’s side, looking up at him. 

“Why are they rainbow?” He asked quietly, lifting an eyebrow. “Pretty sure that’s not an emotion.” It could be joy, he supposed, but something told him that was highly unlikely. Theo huffed out a quiet laugh, the corner of his lips twitching into a faint smile. 

“It’s not. I told you I’ve been working on it and don’t show everyone my mood. This is the most neutral option. It’s confusing and people don’t like that they can’t read me.” Theo spoke quietly, Liam mostly gaining the words from reading his lips. Stupidly soft looking lips. Flushing, he dropped his gaze and turned back to the tv just as the round came to an end. Stiles cheered for his own victory, turning to look around the room. 

“I told you guys you couldn’t beat me-oh.” His voice went soft as he spotted Liam and the others hovering in the background. “Hey new guy.” 

“Liam.” He supplied, smiling nervously. “I’m Liam.”

“Stiles. You guys want in the next round?” He asked, nudging Scott and Isaac to give up their controllers. 

“Sure. Theo and I have a score to settle anyways.” Liam grinned and stepped forward, faltering as Stiles’ expression changed. “Problem?” He asked, careful to keep a sudden swell of anger from his voice. 

“Just didn’t think Theo would want to play. He’s never been interested before.” Stiles said, eyeing the boy in question. Liam clenched his jaw and squared his shoulders, feeling the heat radiating from his body. As he opened his mouth to say something, a different voice cut in. 

“Shut up, Stiles.” The brunette, Malia he thought her name was, cut in. “Maybe he’d actually want to play if you weren’t such a dick.” Stiles’ jaw dropped as he turned to look at her, the silence in the room deafening. She tossed her controller at him before standing, crossing to stand in front of Liam. She eyed him critically before leaning in, lips almost touching his ear as she dropped her voice to a hiss. “You hurt him, I will end you.” She warned, stepping back. Her eyes were electric blue for a moment and then cleared, confusion clouding her expression. She stepped back and wrapped her arms around her torso, turning and leaving the room. 

“I...won’t?” Liam said hesitantly after her, turning to look around the room. Every eye was on him and his skin started to crawl. “What?” He asked, shifting uncomfortably. 

“Dude. Malia doesn’t talk…. _ ever. _ ” Mason said softly, something akin to awe in his voice. “Like ever.”

“Seriously?” Liam asked, glancing around for confirmation. “But you guys know her…”

“I mean we’ve passed notes and stuff but vocally? She just doesn’t talk.” Mason amended, pursing his lips. “Maybe that’s your real power.”

“He’s, what, a mutant whisperer?” Stiles joked to try and ease the tension in the room. When no one else laughed, he tossed his hands into the air. “Because he’s friends with Theo and Malia spoke to him and...guys, seriously?” Shaking his head, he stood up and tossed his controller at Liam. He barely caught it against his chest, frowning slightly as he walked closer to sit on the floor. When Mason joined him and Theo didn’t budge, he rolled his eyes. 

“Get over here.” He said, patting the space next to him that Scott had vacated. 

“I’m fine right here.” Theo lifted the controller with one hand. “Still playing. People won’t be able to see over my wings.” He said, shifting as people looked at him. 

“They could if you sat to the side and angled yourself a little. That way you could still see the screen.” Scott suggested after a moment of consideration. Theo studied him intently for a moment and finally nodded, moving cautiously toward the vacant spot. He stepped over Liam and took a seat, angling himself to the side as suggested. 

“That okay?” He asked Isaac and Kira. 

“You’re fine.” Kira smiled warmly and Liam’s grin widened. Maybe things wouldn’t be so tense after all. He settled in and focused on the screen, or at least attempted to do so. But it was hard when Theo was smiling from a few inches away, his entire face lighting up as he joined in the game. Liam wondered how long it had been since he’d been included in a group activity like this. How long since he’d smiled without restraint? Even now, there was still a tension hanging in his shoulders and the way he held himself. But this was pretty close to relaxed and Liam counted it as a win. 

Twenty minutes later, Liam was...less than pleased. Well, perhaps that wasn’t fair. He had just been proud of his past video game records and to see it destroyed so easily by Stiles and Theo...it had been a low blow to his ego. He was now sitting back with the others, watching the two battle it out and the arena on screen changed and presented new challenges for them. The room was divided in its enthusiasm for the pair. Liam, Mason, Brett, Isaac, and Kira were all rooting for Theo while the others cheered on Stiles. It was a strange mix but Liam reminded himself that he didn’t know these people well enough to make any sort of judgment. But by the way Theo’s smirk stretched with each murmur of encouragement, Liam decided he liked these people more and more. It felt easy to sit and relax, to not have to worry about how he presented himself as he had as his previous school. For once, he wasn’t feeling the pressure of monitoring his abilities so closely. He was in a room of similarly gifted individuals and it felt as though a ginormous weight had been lifted from his chest.

“No!” Stiles’ wounded cry made him look over, the other boy dropping his controller onto his lap. “Dude. You beat me.” He looked at Theo, a slow smile stretching. “I’m impressed.”

“Well, you can’t be perfect at everything. Perfect memory doesn’t mean perfect reflexes.” Theo quipped lightly. Stiles snorted out a laugh, nodding his approval as he leaned back. Scott stood and collected the controllers, shutting down the system and packing everything back up into a neat little bin before rejoining the group. The rumbling of an overhead jet caught everyone’s attention and Stiles lurched to his feet, grabbing Scott’s arm. 

“Derek’s back!” He beamed and dashed from the room, the other boy chuckling fondly and glancing at Liam. 

“Do you want to come and meet some of the other guys? And girls,” he added at Kira’s harsh look. “One of the mission teams just got back.”

“Sure. Have they been gone for long?” Liam asked, getting to his feet and turning to help Mason up. 

“Just overnight. There was some kind of explosion they think was caused by a mutant. It was mostly just cleanup from what I’ve heard.” Scott explained. 

“Scott’s mom works here and she’s dating Chris Argent. He’s in charge of danger room sessions and self defense and stuff. He goes on most missions so Scott usually finds out more before we do.” Mason explained, clapping Liam on the back. “Come on. These guys are mostly students about to graduate but a couple of them aren’t. And three teachers went along, Argent and Derek Hale.”

“Hale? Like Professor Hale? The primal fury guy?” Liam asked, recalling what Deaton called it. 

“That’s Peter. He’s Derek’s uncle and Malia’s father. Derek can shapeshift into different kinds of animals. It’s super cool to watch.” Mason replied, starting toward the doorway. “Come on. They always land and come in through the gym. Sometimes we have lunch or dinner and get mission details.”

“Sounds fun.” Liam smiled and turned to look at Theo, somewhat surprised to find him edging toward the second exit of the room. “Hey! You’re not getting out of this so easily.”

“I have things to do,” Theo said without looking up. Liam could see the pink tinging his cheeks and the magenta that rippled along the edges of his wings.

“You’re an awful liar. You don’t have a life, don’t deny it.” Liam joked. As silence stretched between them, he worried that he’d gone too far. Theo turned his head slowly, brow furrowing together, and he opened his mouth to respond. Before the words could escape him, Brett stood from behind Liam and let out a quiet laugh. 

“You’re right, new kid. Raeken doesn’t have a life. But he’s the best damn liar around. And don’t bitch, take it as a compliment.” He said, giving Theo a mock salute before turning and strolling from the room. 

“What just happened?” Liam asked, glancing between a wide-eyed Mason and a frowning Theo. “Did I miss something? Is he always like that?”

“I think that was the best behaved I’ve seen him.” Kira piped up, smiling brightly. “Trust me when I say that’s progress. Brett is just...blunt. Not a lot of people can appreciate that about him.” She said. “But it’s why we’re best friends. It’s my favorite thing about him.”

“Have you been here for long?” Liam asked, falling into step beside her as they started the brief walk toward the gym. 

“This is my third year. I still remember my first few days though and how nervous I was. I fell down the stairs twice. Actually, that’s how Brett and I became friends. He saw me the second time and said I didn’t need to fall over at his feet to get his attention. I called him an asshole and he smirked and that was that.” Kira enlightened him. “But everyone here is super nice. And you’ve made friends quickly. Mason’s a good guy to know, he’s a total sweetheart. And Malia defensed you and she’s an amazing judge of character, even if she doesn’t actually say things to us. But she can always tell the good students from the bad and she must really, really like you.”

“Or maybe she does talk, just in her own way.” Liam shrugged softly. “Literal words aren’t everything.”

“You’re right. We can tell a lot from her actions but reading her is an art. Lydia is probably the best at it. They’re best friends.”

Liam nodded in understanding and pushed open the outer door, squinting in the sunlight. “So what can you do?” He asked, turning to look at Kira curiously. “I know Theo has his wings and Mason’s skin can change and all but what about you? If you don’t mind,” he added quickly. Was it rude to ask someone about their ability? Was it like asking a woman about her age or her weight? He bit down on his lip and Kira smiled, rapidly shaking her head. 

“I don’t mind at all. I steal faces.” She watched his expression shift to one of horror and smirked. “I steal them and wear them as my own.” As Liam’s jaw went back, she tipped her head back and laughed loudly. “No! Oh my god, don’t take things so literally.” She nudged her arm against his lightly. 

“She’s a different kind of shapeshifter, that’s all.” Theo said, reminding Liam that they weren’t alone. “It’s like camouflage, right?”

“Yeah! Well, kind of. Maybe?” She shrugged. “I can disguise myself like a clone of yours. But it’s just my face. Deaton and I have been working on extending it to all of my skin and sometimes I can mimic voices. But that one is a lot harder to do because I’ve got to hear it first and I have to know what every sound is like when they talk so I don’t get to practice it a lot.”

“That sounds equally cool and terrifying.” Liam confessed, smiling nervously. 

“It totally comes in handy at times.” Mason spoke up. “Or it will when she signs up for missions.”

“I already told you that I wasn’t doing that.” Kira frowned as they reached the gym. “I’m nowhere near ready for it.”

“I don’t know, Kira. I think you’d be pretty amazing at it. I’ve seen you in action in the gym before. You’re impressive. And your ability makes you even more of a force to be reckoned with,” Theo mused as he stepped around them and pulled the door open. “I think you should at least talk to Stilinski and Argent about it.”

“Are they the ones in charge of everything?” Liam asked. 

“Everything is approved by Deaton, but yeah. Stilinski, Stiles’ dad, decides if you’re able to contain your ability and whether or not you’re psychologically ready. Argent decides if you’re willing and able to be a team player.” Theo answered. 

“And how many missions have you been on?” Liam inquired. 

“None.” He turned and Theo’s smile faltered slightly. “Guess I’ve never qualified as a team player.” His smile spread thin and Liam felt a pang of sympathy for the other boy. He opened his mouth to say something but Theo stepped back, hands going into his pockets as he silently shook his head. 

“Hey!” An overly eager voice sounded to the right and Liam turned, surprised to see a brunette boy making his way over. “You must be the new kid everyone’s been texting us about. Good things, don’t worry.” He added with a playful wink. “I’m Matt.” He extended his hand. 

“Liam.” He shook hands with him. “How was the mission? Is that a thing to ask? This is all pretty new to me.” 

“Don’t worry, Liam.” Matt stroked his fingers lightly over his wrist before releasing his hand.  “I’ll teach you everything you need to know. How could anyone say no to those stunning blue eyes?”

“Oh.” Liam blushed lightly and tried not to squirm under his intense gaze. “Erm...thanks. I got them from my mom?”

“Attractive  _ and _ funny. Must be my lucky day.” Matt smirked. “So, Liam, you want to meet the rest of my team? Maybe you and I can grab lunch after and get to know each other better.” His smirk shifted into something more predatory, making the hair on the back of Liam’s neck stand up. He glanced around the gym to find the others dispersing, most faces unfamiliar to him, and he looked over at Theo. 

“I...uh...can’t,” he began slowly as he looked back at Matt. “I’ve made plans with...Theo. And Mason,” he added quickly. “Yeah. We’re going to hang out and watch a movie or something.”

“We are?” Mason asked as he turned around, lifting an eyebrow. 

“We are.” Theo confirmed as he straightened up and took a step closer to Liam. “You went to the bathroom when we were talking about it earlier.” He gave the other boy a meaningful look and Mason quickly nodded, grinning. 

“Sounds good! There’s this awesome new action movie that I’ve been dying to share with other people so they can feel my pain. You guys didn’t pick the movie without me, did you?” Mason said, falling immediately into his role. 

“Nah.” Liam reassured. “Just that we were watching one. Sorry, Matt, maybe next time.” He said gently. Something that might have been anger flashed through his expression, moving so quickly and smoothing over that Liam almost believed he’d imagined it. He shifted back warily and put himself between Theo and Mason, sliding his hands in his pockets. 

“Yeah. Next time.” Matt smiled, the edges somewhat strained, and nodded. “Liam, I look forward to seeing you around.” He strolled around the small group and Liam fought the urge to turn around as he felt eyes crawling down his back, lingering on his ass. He exhaled quietly as the door to the gym clicked shut and turned to look at his new friends, frowning. 

“Is he always so…” he gestured vaguely, hoping they would pick up on it. 

“Creepy?” Mason asked. “A little. He’s not a bad guy by any means, he’s just a little odd. I’ve never really seen him hit on anyone though. Maybe he was just nervous and it came across the wrong way?”

“Maybe.” Liam frowned. 

“Come on, you two.” Theo said as he shook his wings out. A stray feather fell to the floor, brown and teal in color, but he didn’t seem to notice as he headed for the door. “You two owe me a movie!” He called. Mason grumbled halfheartedly and followed after him, leaving Liam standing on his own. Bending down, he retrieved the feather and tucked it carefully into his pocket before hurrying to catch up with the other two. More comfortable now, he fell into step between the pair and followed them to the main building. His fingers slid into his pocket and he stroked the feather gently, smiling warmly as Theo’s quiet laugh and Mason’s soothing voice washed over him. 


	5. Chapter 5

“Ugh,” Liam groaned as he flopped down onto his bed and pressed his face into the pillow. Mason snorted softly across the room and he lifted his hand, flipping off the other boy. “Shut up,” he muttered as he rolled onto his side to face him. 

“Dude. I told you that it was a bad idea to challenge Stiles to an eating contest.”

“He started it.” Liam reminded, pulling his best bitch face and then attempting to smother himself with his pillow. “I’m dying. This is what it feels like. Goodbye, cruel world.”

“You can’t die now. I’m pretty sure if you tried, Theo would drag you back. Dude is kind of totally into you.” Mason said casually. Liam was grateful for the pillow hiding his blush. Theo? Liking him? That wasn’t possible. They’d become fast friends over the past few days, at Liam’s insufferable persistence, but that was that. He didn’t even want to think about what the implications of anything else might mean. It was far too early for that kind of thing and he needed to focus on school and controlling his abilities. Adding feelings to the mix was asking for trouble. 

Lowering the pillow from his face, he hooked his chin over it and looked over at him. “Speaking of Theo, I need your help with something.”

“Oh dude. I can totally spend the night in Corey’s room-“

“Not that!” Liam flushed hotly. “Gross. Can you get your mind out of the gutter? No, I need your help because you’ve known Theo longer. I want to try and figure out what the different colors mean for his wings. So I was thinking of trying to keep a journal or something to keep track of the colors and what they might mean. I thought maybe you’d want to help me out. Plus, you’re smart. I guess.” His smile stretched at Mason’s mock offended look and he laughed. “All right, fine. You’re above average.”

“Just for that, I’m not inviting you to the next movie night.” Mason warned. 

“I’m broken hearted, Mase. Truly. I’m devastated and my heart is a gaping wound.” Liam returned flatly. “But seriously. You in?”

“Trying to figure out Theo Raeken’s mood and keeping it in a top secret journal? Hell yeah, I’m in.” Mason smirked. “I’m re-inviting you to movie night. Dude! Oh, I take it back. Forget movie night. We should totally have a bonfire tonight. It’s the last night we have free before classes start back so why not live it up a little? You could light the-“

“Nope.” Liam replied firmly, shaking his head. “No way. You’ve never seen what it’s like, dude. I have zero control or self restraint. I could hurt somebody.”

“Fine. I’m sure someone around here has matches. Actually, I think Brett has a lighter. Pretty sure I’ve seen him smoke once or twice.” Mason hummed thoughtfully. “I’ll figure it out. But bonfire, tonight. You’ll be there.” He pointed his finger at him as he headed for the door. “I don’t care how sick you feel. I will drag you outside for this.” He warned before leaving the room, allowing Liam to wallow in his misery. He rolled onto his back with a soft groan, settling his hands just under his stomach. Maybe the discomfort would fade if he slept it off. Sighing to himself, he grabbed the pillow and hugged it to his chest as he closed his eyes. 

-

Two hours before the bonfire, Liam woke feeling restless. He changed clothes and texted Mason, assuring him he’d be back in time for the bonfire before grabbing his gym bag. He needed to get a few good hits in on a bag before the day was over. With classes looming on the horizon, his anxiety had kicked itself up a few notches and he’d accidentally melted his fork over breakfast. Theo had quirked an eyebrow at him but thankfully said nothing at the time. Liam could have asked for a sparring session but he’d felt too embarrassed. But now? Now was the perfect time to go and let off some steam. 

He entered the gym with a sense of confidence that had been building, no longer quite so nervous when it came to the other guys that were usually there in the afternoon. He lifted his hand in a friendly wave to Garrett and Derek, weaving around Gabe as he started to lift weights. He plugged in his earbuds and dropped his bag in front of the mirrored wall, sitting down to start his stretches. Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths and counted in increments of ten as he loosened his limbs and prepared himself for what he wanted. Almost completely in the zone, he opened his eyes and a bright yellow light blinded him. “Fuck!” He snapped, turning around to glower at what had caused it. 

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to raise the flash.” Matt smiled from where he was crouched and Liam inhaled slowly. It wouldn’t get him anywhere to break the other boy’s camera or his nose. 

“Aren’t you supposed to ask for permission first?” He asked, barely keeping his tone friendly as he popped an earbud out to address him. 

“Well then it wouldn’t be a candid photo.” Matt smirked. “But I’m sorry. I usually come down here and test some shots with the lighting. I didn’t think to ask since I’m used to everyone else letting me.” The apology seemed genuine enough and Liam sighed, rolling his shoulders back and nodding. 

“It’s fine. No harm, no foul.” He said. “Just a little warning next time, okay?” 

“You’ve got it. Need help with anything?” Matt asked, turning off the camera and covering the lens. “I’m pretty decent at spotting.”

“I’m good, thanks. I’m not doing weights today.” Liam said before getting to his feet. He tried to ignore how Matt lingered behind him and focused on his walk to the chest across the room where he retrieved a pair of boxing gloves. He grabbed the rolls of medical tape that had been stocked inside a few days prior and unraveled it, wrapping his knuckles a few times before sliding them into the gloves. Turning, he caught Theo slipping soundlessly into the room and suppressed a grin. “Hey, loser.”

“Such a sick burn,” Theo returned dryly as he turned and lifted an eyebrow. “You want to go a few rounds?”

“Always.” Liam smirked, his gaze shifting as Malia appeared from behind Theo. She gave him a sharp look before crossing over to the wall of weights, picking what she wanted and starting her reps. Liam waited until Theo was walking over before nodding toward Malia, “I guess you two were hanging out?”

“Something like that.” Theo grabbed his pads from the chest and started to secure them. “Matt.” He greeted, somewhat stiffly. 

“Theodore.” Matt grinned as Theo’s eyebrow twitched in response. “Liam, I’ll be around if you need anything.” He promised before uncovering his camera and slipping back into the shadows. Liam shoved down the uneasy feeling that rose up and beckoned Theo back toward the mats with him before throwing the first punch. The other boy narrowly avoided, his wings flaring out and propelling him back. 

“You cheated.” Liam grinned as he brought up his fist to block a lazy hook. “No powers allowed. That’s the rule.”

“You made the rule, Dunbar. I never said I agreed to it.” Smirking, Theo danced forward for a second strike and clipped the edge of his jaw. 

“Fucker,” Liam grumbled as he aimed a high kick. Theo twisted back out of range, his rainbow tinted feathers shifting light pink along the edges as he circled around him. 

“Come on, Liam.” His voice was a soft taunt. “I know you can do better than that.” His wings flared out as he struck forward, Liam barely able to defend himself. So that’s how it was going to be. This form of Theo he was starting to get to know, a playful side that he doubted many people were able to witness. It only came out in their sparring and Liam felt warmth spread through him. One to add to the list. 

“You asked for it.” He warned before throwing two quick jabs and an uppercut, surprising him by finishing with a high kick. The two moved as a force of nature against one another, clashing and dancing in perfect sync. For once, Liam wasn’t focused on anyone else in the room. He could feel their gazes but it didn’t matter, not when he was focused on stopping Theo in motion. The other boy was fast but Liam was starting to learn his tricks. He favoured his right wing over his left and despite keeping himself well covered, he was always slow to remember to block his legs. Liam took full advantage in trying to sweep his legs from under him whenever possible and knock him off balance. 

He threw another clean punch and silently cheered his victory, too busy congratulating himself early to realize Theo was moving. Within seconds he was pinned, back against Theo’s chest as an arm wrapped like a vice over his chest and the other pinned down his arm. Swallowing hard, he looked down to see where Theo had grabbed his forearm. He hadn’t even realized that he’d gotten rid of his pads covering his hands. “You lose,” a voice murmured into his ear. 

“You cheated.” Liam huffed, drawing in a few shallow breaths. “Fuck.” He laughed quietly and shook out his sweat soaked hair, smirking as Theo grunted and let go with a hard shove against his back. 

“Asshole.” Theo wiped the sweat from his face and folded fluttering violet wings against his back. “You’re doing better. A few more sessions and you’ll actually be a decent opponent.” His cocky smirk returned and Liam laughed, shoving him in the shoulder. 

“You two are getting on my nerves.” Gabe said from across the room. Liam turned, not bothered in the slightest by the older boy. “Can’t you just give compliments like normal people?”

“No,” they declared in unison. Liam let out an undignified snort and stretched his arms above his head, smiling widely. “That was good. I needed to let off some steam so thanks.” He unwrapped the gloves and slid them off, starting to untape his fingers next. “You coming to the bonfire tonight?”

“There’s a bonfire tonight?” Theo asked. Liam snapped his head up in alarm, prepared to curse Mason out. The anger dissipated into annoyance as Theo smirked, his eyes glinting. “Relax. Mason asked me while you were dying from a stomachache or something like that.”

“He’s the worst best friend.” Liam rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t dying. I just needed to take a nap.”

“You bitched about throwing up as soon as you finished the last roll of bread.” Garrett piped in. “I was there.”

“Hate that I missed the excitement.” Theo chuckled and rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead to collect sweat. “Far more interesting than what I was doing.” Liam nodded in understanding, though truthfully he didn’t know what that meant. All he knew was that Theo had been called to Deaton’s office earlier in the morning and he hadn’t seen him anytime after. 

“Well you’ll just have to get your dose of excitement at the bonfire.” Liam told him with a grin. “You’re coming, seriously?”

“I’ll be there.” Theo’s expression softened and Liam’s chest tightened for a moment. He opened his mouth but Matt was suddenly between them, holding his camera around for Liam to see. 

“You want to check some of these out? They’re pretty amazing.” He offered, clicking a button to reveal a close-up of Liam guarding his face. He looked past him to find Theo halfway across the room, returning their gloves to the chest. He glanced back and smiled slightly, nodding his head before slipping silently through the door. Sighing, Liam turned back to Matt and tried to focus on the pictures he was scrolling through. He had to admit that they were impressive. Despite his faults, Matt was a talented photographer with an eye for the perfect moment. Liam was captivated by the motion that had been captured and suspended in time. He wouldn’t ever admit to it but his favorite photos were the ones where Theo had his wings extended, colors rippling through them like a tidal wave. He thanked Matt for showing him the picture and went to collect his bag, trying to ignore the feeling that his thoughts were being invaded somehow. He shook his head and walked out, heading back to his room to shower and get ready for the night. 

With Mason’s unsolicited help, Liam found himself wearing cargo shorts and a simple black shirt for the bonfire. He followed the other boy and Corey out to the edge of the school property where everyone was getting things set up, the teachers fixing up tables of snack foods while Deaton supervised the building of an appropriate bonfire. If nothing else had proven to him that this was unlike any other school, this would have been the evidence needed. They truly lived as a community and family, working together despite the boundaries of teacher and student. He couldn’t believe that Deaton was walking amongst the staff and student body, trading friendly smiles and pleasant greetings with each person that he bumped into. 

“It’s a pretty neat view.” Matt’s nearby voice nearly made Liam jump out of his skin and set his teeth on edge. He turned, not surprised to find the other boy fiddling with a camera around his neck, and nodded slightly. As he turned away, Matt’s fingers brushed across his upper arm and he forced a smiled as he shifted his attention to him. “They’re going to grill food. Do you want a burger or hot dog?”

“Thanks, but I can get my own food. I’m not hungry right this second.” He smiled politely and Matt frowned, angling himself between Liam and everyone else. 

“Have I done something to bother you?” Matt asked softly, his fingers lightly trailing up his arm. 

“I’m just not really comfortable with you flirting with me. It’s appreciated and you’re a nice guy, but I’m not interested.” Liam said as he stepped back out of reach. 

“Liam, I’m sorry if you think I’ve been hitting on you.” Matt dropped his hand to his camera and uncovered the lens. “I don’t really know you like that. I just wanted to be nice and offer to show you around. I want you to feel welcome here, everyone does. So I’m sorry if I’m come across strong. I just want to be friends.” Despite his light tone, there was a hardness in his gaze that made Liam question the truth of his words. He wondered for a moment if Matt was used to anyone telling him no. Maybe that’s all that it was.

He tried to reassure himself and clear his head, excusing himself with a half smile as he attempted to locate Mason and Corey. They were hanging out near an older group of students, some that he recognized as having returned from the last mission. As he walked over, Mason shifted aside and made room for him to join the circle. “Hey! Garrett was just telling us about the time Violet nearly stopped his heart.”

“What?” Liam snapped his head up in alarm to look at the girl, watching her eyes roll back. 

“It was an accident. Besides, it’s only happened twice.” She dismissed. Liam wasn’t sure he wanted to know about either story. 

“Don’t scare him,” Isaac chastised lightly. “It was a mission gone wrong and Garrett was holding onto a fence that Violet electrified. He didn’t let go in time and fried himself pretty bad. He smelled like burnt meat for two weeks.”

“And the other time…?” Liam asked hesitantly.

“Back when we were dating.” Violet winked, her smile sharp and just a little dangerous. Liam took a moment to be grateful that he wasn’t straight. “But were cool, before you ask. We can play nice in public.”

“They’re best friends. Don’t let her lie to you.” Isaac grinned softly. “They’re also one of the best mission teams we have.” 

“What do you do then?” Liam asked Garrett, his curiosity winning out. 

“I can breathe out poison. Comes in handy when I need to chloroform somebody and I don’t have any on hand.” Garrett smirked. “That’s the basics of it, at least.”

“That...could be useful.” Liam said, frowning slightly. How often did a power like that come in handy on the field? What counted as poison? Was it lethal? A million tiny questions buzzed through his head. “What about you?” He asked Isaac. 

“Nothing special. I’m not even really good at it.” Isaac shrugged and slid his hands into his pockets. Liam wanted to ask further but suddenly Deaton was clearing his throat, Finstock shouting for everyone’s attention. Ears ringing, Liam turned to face the bonfire and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Good evening, students and staff. I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for coming out. I’d like to recognize Mason Hewitt for organizing this event in such a short amount of time and to everyone who helped make this happen. There’s plenty of food to go around so I encourage you to help yourselves. I would also like to congratulate Professor Derek Hale and his team for a job well done on their latest mission. Finally, be careful on school grounds. I don’t mind the party or the noise, but I do want you to practice safety first. Enjoy your evening.” He smiled at everyone, bowing his head as several people started to clap. 

“Let’s get this party started!” Someone yelled out, music kicking to life a moment later. Grinning, Liam joined the others making their way to the food table and piled his plate to the brim. 

“Weren’t you in danger of dying earlier because you ate too much?” Theo asked from behind him, drawing his gaze. He smiled slightly and turned, bumping arms with someone that was brushing past. 

“Oh hey. Glad you made it.” He said, popping a chip into his mouth. “I was going to go say hey to the others and get to know some new people. I need to make a good impression before classes start and all.” He said, the words feeling slightly foreign on his tongue. 

“Got it.” Theo said quietly, grey lining the edges of his feathers. “Maybe I’ll catch you later then.”

“See you.” He turned to find Matt hovering a few feet away and clenched his jaw, stepping around him as he went to find Mason and the others again. He slotted himself into the group with ease, falling easily into the conversation where Violet and Garrett were explaining their brief undercover stint as orphans to stop a woman running an underground child smuggling ring. 

“Sounds like you guys have all done a lot of good.” Liam said as he looked at the pair. “It’s awesome that you’re out there making a difference and saving lives.”

“Greenhouse gases and Sparks can’t take all the credit,” Stiles said as he slipped into the circle and put his arm around Mason’s shoulders. “I’m always watching their backs.”

“Sparks?” Liam frowned slightly. 

“Code name. We all have them. Those of us on teams at least.” Violet explained. “But Stiles doesn’t use them for most people. He prefers his own. He thinks he’s a comedian.” 

“I’m hilarious.” Stiles winked. 

“So what are your actual code names?” Liam asked. 

“Garrett is Cobra and I’m Sparks. Mine stays the same because Stiles knows if he tries to fuck with me, I’ll kick his ass.” Smirking, Violet tipped her cup to her lips. 

“And Stiles?”

“Call me Einstein. Thank you, thank you, but no autographs are necessary.” He took a dramatic bow, arm draped over his waist. “I’m trying to sell Mason on Tin Man but he’s not so stoked about it.” He told Liam, straightening back up. Liam nodded and started to look around again, brow furrowing as he realized Theo was off hanging out with the teachers. Why wasn’t he joining them? He took a half step closer and someone stepped in his path. 

“Better than the Cowardly Lion,” Matt intervened. “Hey. I brought you a drink.” He said, offering a cup. Liam’s nose twitched from the strong odor of beer and he shook his head, feigning a smile. 

“No thanks. I’ve never really wanted to drink before and I’m underage.” 

“Most of us are.” Matt chuckled gently. “Just try it. Deaton doesn’t care if we drink as long as we’re safe on school property. It’s his way of making sure we aren’t out in town and risking doing stupid shit.” He offered the cup again, pressing it more insistently into Liam’s hand. 

“I don’t want it.” Liam dropped his hand to his pocket, clenching a fist. “Like I said, Matt, I’m not interested.”

“More for me then.” Matt shrugged and took a sip from the beer, watching him over the rim. “You should relax, Liam. You always look so angry and tense. It would do you a world of good to smile every now and then.” He said before sauntering off, leaving Liam brimming with anger. Before he realized it, the plate in his hand was melting and tiny wisps of smoke filled the air. 

“Dude!” Mason clapped his shoulder and Liam cursed, the flames dissipating after a moment of concentration. “You good?”

“I...yeah. Sorry about that.” He flushed as the group began to scrutinize him and cleared his throat. “I’m going to throw this away.” Rubbing the back of his neck, he carried the ruined plate to a trash bag and looked around the bonfire. Scott offered him a friendly wave and so he drifted over, moving from group to group and making small talk with the others for the rest of the night. By the time the bonfire was over and put out, Liam was exhausted. He made his way back to his room, frowning slightly as he saw Theo disappear into his bedroom at the end of the hall. “Shit.” He whispered as he paused in front of his own door. Somehow, he hadn’t managed to spend any time with his friend and he knew he owed him an apology. He’d try and grovel over breakfast before classes if he had to. 

Sighing heavily, he pushed open the door to his room and rubbed the heel of his palm against his eyes. Bonfires were great, but after a while the smoke began to sting your eyes and the smell clung to everything. He stripped his shirt and walked over to his bed, sitting down on the end before falling backwards. The door opened a moment later and Mason walked in, pausing as he saw Liam sprawled out. “You okay?” He asked, tugging his shirt over his head and tossing it into the corner. “You kind of lost your cool back there on that plate.” He opened a drawer to his dresser, rummaging through it. “Didn’t know it could be so offensive.”

“It’s Matt.” Liam sighed heavily and pressed his hands over his eyes. “He just keeps getting under my skin. I don’t know. Maybe I’m overreacting.”

“Well, Matt is kind of an odd guy. He keeps to himself a lot and takes pictures for the school and for fun. Super talented but he’s...well, he comes off a little strange. Maybe you just need time to warm up to him. I think he’s just trying to be friendly.”

“Or get in my pants,” Liam muttered under his breath. He sighed and unhooked his jeans, wriggling out of them and kicking them onto the floor. “Sorry. I know you like him and all, I just...don’t.”

“No worries, bro. Not everyone likes everyone and that’s fine. But speaking of liking people,” Mason turned and waggled his eyebrows. “What about you and Theo? I was surprised you weren’t attached to his hip. Did you guys have a fight or something?”

“No.” Liam sighed and rolled onto his side, crawling up the bed to move under the covers. “I don’t know what happened. I just didn’t even think about him that much tonight and I feel like a jackass. I’m pretty sure I told him I wanted to meet new people and that’s the worst thing ever. I’m an ass.”

“No argument there.” Mason smirked before cutting the lights and shuffling over to his bed. “Honestly, I think you’ll be okay. Just tell him you wanted to meet some classmates and that you ran out of time talking to everyone or something. You guys are friends, he won’t hold it against you.”

“But what if he does?” Liam asked in a small voice. “What if I fucked up our friendship?”

“Then Theo is a total dick and I’ll punch him.” Mason promised from across the room. “It’ll be okay. Trust me, I’m never wrong.” Snorting, Liam shook his head and buried his face against his pillow. Guilt clawed through him and he sighed, digging his fingers into his pillow as he closed his eyes. Sleep wasn’t going to come easy that night. 


	6. Chapter 6

Liam didn’t sleep. He spent the night tossing and turning, going back over the bonfire again and again in a million different ways. He’d wanted to spend time with Theo. He’d made sure that he’d known he was invited. For the life of him, he couldn’t understand his own reasoning for wanting to hang out with other people. His entire goal had been to become friends with him so why had he risked losing that? There were no answers that could satisfy him and he was left feeling uneasy and mildly concerned about his sanity. 

He dragged himself through the routine of an early shower and getting ready for the first day of classes. Heading for the cafeteria, he greeted the few people awake at such an early hour and frowned as he reached his usual table to find it empty. Maybe Theo was just running late. He tried not to worry as he took a seat, slowly pushing around the food on his plate. As more time passed and others began to arrive, Liam got the sinking feeling that Theo was avoiding him. How was he supposed to apologize if Theo wouldn’t give him the chance? 

The guilt grew stronger with each passing minute, until Liam had no choice but to vacate the table if he wanted to make it to his first class on time. Not only was he exhausted now, but he hadn’t managed to get past a bite of his food and hunger gnawed at him. He felt restless through his first class, barely able to pay attention to what literature Derek was trying to get them to analyze. He didn’t care about eighteenth century poetry. He cared about making sure Theo was okay and didn’t completely hate his guts. His second class passed in a similar blur of agitation, Liam unable to focus on what Peter was attempting to explain in regards to mutant history. 

By the end of class, he’d singed the edges of his notebook and he could practically feel the heat rolling off of him in waves. Despite the fact that it was now time for lunch, Peter decided to hold him back for a few minutes and try to talk to him. “You seem agitated, Mr. Dunbar.” The teacher said casually as he began to clean his board. “Perhaps we need to move our afternoon session and start today after classes?”

“Tomorrow is fine.” Liam said, shifting his backpack on his shoulders.

“Let me rephrase that. It wasn’t a request. You’ll meet me in the gym after the last bell. I’ll make sure we have the place to ourselves so we don’t have any distractions. You’re dismissed.” Peter said without so much as looking at him. That only fueled the fire in Liam and he stormed from the room, jaw clenched so tightly that it made his head start to ache. Despite the rumbling in his stomach, he wanted to try and catch a few minutes of sleep to see if that would help alleviate some of the headache that was building. Half an hour later, after tossing and turning in bed, he was forced to give up. With only five minutes until his next class, he sprinted down the stairwell and was unable to enjoy the second meal of the day. He slid into the back of Deaton’s class with only seconds to spare, trying to keep his head down and all attention off of him as the man droned on about the basics of mutant physiology. 

The next class ended far too soon for his liking and, before he knew it, Liam was making his way to the gym. He was miserable. His head was throbbing from lack of food and exhaustion, and all he wanted to do was curl up beneath his blankets and huddle in the dark until everything stopped hurting. He knew it was a migraine. Everything around him was starting to glow with a faint aura, something he’d dealt with for most of his life. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he stepped into the gym and tried not to wince as the door shut loudly behind him.

“There you are,” Peter greeted from the bleachers where he sat. A couple of sparring mats had been set out in the middle of the gym and a fire hydrant rested close by. “I thought maybe you’d tried to skip out on our lesson.”

“No sir,” Liam said through gritted teeth. “I just wanted to put my stuff in my room.” He said, rolling his shoulders back as he stepped onto the mat. “What exactly are we supposed to be doing?” He asked, feeling wary as the other man circled around behind him.

“We are going to see how angry you can get to determine what it takes to make you lose control. Once we establish a baseline, we’ll try and stretch your limits and work on your control. Your anger controls your ability, much like mine. If you can harness that, you can use it to fight.” A hard shove was aimed at his shoulder and he grunted, stumbling slightly. Already, he could feel the low burn of heat just beneath his skin. “Do you always look so angry, Liam?” Peter asked, shoving him again. He managed to stand his ground, tensing his muscles as he listened to the other man’s footsteps.

“I have a medical condition,” Liam said, attempting to keep his cool. By the steam rising from his skin, he was failing spectacularly. He barely suppressed a growl when Peter shoved him again, clenching his fists. Already, he could feel the heat of the flames that began to wrap around his arms. He turned to face Peter, lip curling in a sneer. “Knock it off.”

“My, my, you have quite the temper. So easy to set off,” Peter murmured, clicking his tongue. “No wonder the other students are already whispering about you.”

“What?” Liam asked, feeling his blood run cold. He froze to the spot, his eyes widening as he watched Peter. The flames died down instantly and he shuddered, swallowing thickly. “What are you talking about?”

“Are you embarrassed?” Peter asked, lifting an eyebrow at him. “Good.”

“I’m not embarrassed,” Liam snapped even as his cheeks flushed red. Worried, sure, but not embarrassed. Even terrified, a part of him whispered. “Are people really talking about me?” It had only been the first day of classes. Had he really screwed up so badly? Had he blown his chance?

“That’s irrelevant.” Peter said, not seeming to notice the effect of his words. “We’re going to do this again. Again, and again, and again, until you master control. You think my little shoves are anything worth getting upset over? What about when someone trips you in the hallway? When someone is in a rush and you accidentally get knocked into the wall? Are you going to blow up on them in the same way you did to me?”

“Of course not.” Liam said, shaking his head and taking a small step back. “You’re intentionally trying to provoke me.” He argued weakly, moving further back when Peter stepped into his space. “Today isn’t a good day for this, okay? Can’t we just try again tomorrow as normally scheduled?”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Peter scoffed lightly. “The longer it takes you to master your abilities and learn control, the more of a danger you are. I saw your notebook earlier, the one burned around the edges. If you can’t control yourself in class, what’s going to stop you from accidentally hurting someone else?”

“That’s not fair. I haven’t slept and I haven’t eaten. I feel like sh-like garbage.” He corrected himself, gritting his teeth in frustration. “I just want to eat something and go to bed. My head hurts and I’m tired.”

“Do you always whine when you’re having a bad day?” Peter asked. “You don’t get a break just because you’re having a bad day. The rest of the world does not care whether or not you’re in a good mood.”

“Screw them.” Liam said, shaking his head and taking a step back. “And screw you,” he added as he turned and stormed from the gym. He ignored the call of his name, focusing on taking deep breaths as he headed back into the main building. He ducked around a group of students and made his way toward the cafeteria, rubbing at his temple. Food first, then he could sleep until the next day. He’d learned that lesson the hard way at lunch.

He grabbed himself a tray and loaded it with a couple of small plates, carrying it to his usual table without conscious thought. As he came around the corner, a wing shrouded in deep blues, purples, and greens caught his attention. “Theo?” He slowly set down his tray, sinking down into the empty chair across from the other boy.

“Hey.” Theo said easily, raising an eyebrow. “You look like shit. You okay?”

“I…” Liam hesitated, the words sticking to the back of his throat. Was he okay? If he were being honest, the answer was no. “I’ve been looking for you,” he said in lieu of giving a real answer. 

“You found me.” Theo replied, setting down his fork with a small frown. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“I wanted to apologize for being an ass to you last night. They wasn’t okay. I really don’t know what came over me, but I am so sorry. It won’t happen again. I know you probably don’t want to talk to me right now, and if you want I’ll go somewhere else and eat, but I had to apologize face to face.” Liam said quickly before his courage could flee.

“You’re really serious.” Theo murmured, eyeing him for a moment. “Did you beat yourself up over this all night?”

“....maybe.” Liam admitted, his cheeks heating. “I felt awful. I thought about coming to apologize, but I figured you were sleeping and you wouldn’t appreciate me annoying you.”

“You didn’t sleep?”

“I haven’t slept and I haven’t eaten yet today. I was going to apologize at breakfast but you weren’t here and I didn’t come to lunch and I’m sorry, Theo. I don’t know how else to say it and make you stop being mad at me.” Liam whined.

“I’m not mad at you.” Theo said slowly, a sigh slipping through his lips. “I was disappointed, sure, but not mad. This morning, Deaton wanted to have a word with me so I was in his office. We didn’t finish until breakfast was over and I was late for class. When I came to lunch and didn’t see you, I asked Mason. He said you’d had a rough morning and you weren’t looking too good.”

“I went to try and take a nap at lunch. It didn’t work. My head is killing me.” Liam said, rubbing at the back of his neck.

“Finish eating and go take a nap. No one’s going to judge you for it.” Theo said, cracking one of his rare smiles. Liam’s chest squeezed and he nodded, picking up his fork. “If you decide against sleeping, my room is open.” Theo added, so softly Liam almost thought he’d imagined it at first. 

“You really wouldn’t mind?” Liam asked. 

“Not at all. It’s quiet there and no one bothers me.” Theo shrugged one shoulder. “You should try to sleep thing first. You look dead on your feet.” 

“Gee, thanks.” Liam snorted softly, lips twitching into a ghost of a smile. He finished the small bowl of shredded chicken, yawning against the back of his hand. “You’re right. Sleep first. But I’m holding you up to that offer. I definitely owe you.” He said, gathering his tray. “I’ll see you later?”

“Sounds like a plan. Enjoy your rest,” Theo said. Liam smiled softly and headed to the trashcan, emptying out his dishes beside it and stacking them neatly on the conveyor belt. He yawned and trudged slowly up the stairwell to his room, rubbing tiredly at his eyes. At the top of the landing, he brushed shoulders with someone and lifted his head to mutter an apology. Heat prickled along his skin at the sight of Matt standing there, smirking at him. 

“Hey. You doing okay?” Matt asked. The question seemed wrong, somehow, and too intrusive. “Mason’s been worried about you. I told him it was nothing, the first day can be pretty hard.”

“You’re talking to my roommate about me?” Liam asked, his left eye twitching. 

“I was talking to him about an assignment and you happened to come up. Don’t flatter yourself too much.” Matt said airily, his smirk widening as Liam’s anger continued to build. “You know, that scowl doesn’t look so pretty on you.”

“You can take your asshole persona and shove it-“

“Liam.” Theo interrupted from behind him. “Don’t waste your breath on him. Matt’s just upset that you don’t want in his pants.” He said, giving Matt an exaggerated look up and down his body. “Personally, I don’t see the appeal.”

“Look who’s talking.” Matt replied with a soft snort. “Aren’t you the social pariah of the school?”

“Maybe. Doesn’t mean I’m wrong.” Theo shrugged one shoulder and settled his hand on Liam’s upper back, gently urging him forward. “Come on. Let’s not waste time that’s better spent sleeping.” 

“Go eat a dick,” Liam told Matt. He started to walk, exhaling slowly as he turned to look at Theo. “Thanks. I don’t know why he gets under my skin so badly.”

“You looked pretty uncomfortable.” Theo replied. “Is this because of the picture taking in the gym?”

“No. I just...I feel like he’s hitting on me and I feel weird about it.” Liam admitted, rubbing the side of his neck. “I can’t put my finger completely on it. There’s something else...Mason just says I’m crazy.” He said, slowing to a stop outside of his bedroom door. 

“I don’t think you’re crazy. But, and don’t hate me for this, but maybe you’re just uncomfortable with the attention? Maybe you’re just reading the situation all wrong?” Theo suggested softly. 

“What are you saying?” Liam asked, his shoulders tensing as he turned to watch the other boy. 

“Matt might just be bad at flirting with you.” Theo said softly. 

“Weren’t you just insulting each other a few minutes ago? You can’t be saying what I think you’re saying.” Liam scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. 

“Liam, you’re forgetting I’ve got a difficult relationship with most of the people here. I  _ am  _ a social pariah to them. Matt and I have been on the wrong foot since the day he got here. There are things I’ll never like about him, but that doesn’t mean I should tell you to stay away from him. Or anyone here,” Theo amended softly. “I’m not telling you to do anything you don’t want to do. Just sleep on it, okay?”

“I’m not dating him.” Liam clenched his jaw, anger pulsing in his veins. 

“I didn’t say you should. I’m just saying don’t push people here away. Date him or don’t, but maybe you should try and be his friend. You might learn he isn’t so bad.”

“Why don’t you take your own advice?” Liam asked, skin prickling with unease. Where was all of this coming from?

“I don’t want you to end up like me, Liam. I’ve spent most of my life here on my own, isolated. You have a chance to be friends with these people. Don’t exclude yourself because you’re uneasy. Give them a chance.” Theo murmured. “I just want to make sure I’m not influencing you. So give everyone a fair chance. It doesn’t matter if they’re an asshole to me,” he held up his hand to silence Liam’s protests, “because I’ve done enough to earn a few cold shoulders.”

“I don’t know how this conversation got here.” Liam admitted, frowning slightly. “I think I’m going to take a nap. But...maybe you’re right. Maybe I just need to give everyone a chance. Maybe Matt and I are getting off on the wrong foot because I don’t like the attention.” He sighed, scratching the back of his neck. “Thanks. I’ll see you later?” 

“Told you my room would be open.” Theo smiled softly. “See you later, Liam.” He headed to his bedroom, disappearing a moment later. Liam nodded and opened the door to his room, stepping inside.

“Hey-oh.” He said quietly, eyes widening as he saw Mason and Corey in the middle of an intense makeout session. “Uh…”

“Shit!” Mason sprang back from his boyfriend. He bit his lip, eyeing Liam as he reached back and grabbed a pillow to cover his groin. “I thought you were at the gym with Peter for a few hours?”

“It didn’t go very well. I was just going to take a nap.” Liam said, frowning. “I don’t want to kick Corey out, but-“

“We were here first.” Mason blurted out. Eyes widening, Liam’s frown deepened in surprise. He hadn’t expected a rude response. “We...look, can we please just use the room? I will totally make it up to you later.” Something about Mason’s panicky eyes made him nod in agreement. What was going on? 

“It’s fine. I’ll see you later.” Liam said, backing out of the room. He pulled the door shut and walked a few yards, knocking on Theo’s door. It swung open a moment later, Liam’s eyes falling on a bare chest of firm muscle. “Uh…”

“Thought you were going to take a nap?” Theo asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Mason and Corey are going to have sex instead, I guess. He was kind of rude about it, but they were there first. Can I just hang out in here? We could put on a movie or play a game or something?” Liam asked, rubbing the back of his neck. This had been a horrible idea, what was he thinking?

“Why don’t you take a nap here? I was going to do some reading for English.” Theo suggested, stepping back from the doorway. Liam took a cautious step inside, freezing as he saw the king sized bed that took up most of the room, an art desk and a wooden dresser lining the opposite wall, and a small tv stand that held multiple gaming systems. 

“Whoa...this is all yours?” Liam asked, taking a step toward the bed. 

“Yeah. Perks of having a room to myself.” Theo smirked. “I was serious about the nap. You should relax for a bit, you still look terrible.”

“Way to kick a guy when he’s down.” Liam huffed, toeing off his shoes. He sat on the edge of the mattress and groaned, sinking down almost immediately. “Fuck, is this memory foam? This is amazing.”

“You’ll be out in no time. Sleep for a few hours, don’t worry about a thing. I’ll do my homework while you rest.” Theo said, kneeling down beside his desk and plucking a book from the lower shelf. He sat down at the desk and Liam watched his wings flutter and drape themselves over the chair, wings brushing against the floor and his feathers bending. It looked uncomfortable. 

“You could come lay down and read. Your wings...they’re kind of bending weird.” Liam said, frowning slightly. 

“It doesn’t hurt. They’re a lot more flexible than you think.” Theo shrugged one shoulder. “But it’s why I’ve got the bed I do. I usually lay on my stomach and spread my wings out. Makes doing homework easier too.”

“This bed  _ is  _ pretty massive. You could come read over here. I’ll be asleep anyways, it’s not like I’m going to bother you.” Liam said, his cheeks flushing lightly. Theo considered him for a moment and nodded, getting to his feet. 

“Sure. You get some sleep, okay?” He murmured, settling down at the other end of the bed. His wings didn’t fully extend, but one was close enough that all he had to do was reach out if he wanted to touch it. He clenched his fist into the comforter instead, burying his face down against one of Theo’s pillows as he closed his eyes. A feeling of contentment washed over him, settling deep in his bones. Three breaths later and he was fast asleep. 


	7. Chapter 7

Liam stirred as something warm brushed against his fingertips, soft and almost ticklish. He instinctively reached for it, smiling at the soft and plush object that gave way under his fingers. Beside him, there was a soft laugh. “Mason?” He muttered, knowing in his gut that he was wrong. His roommate’s bed wasn’t that close to his own.

“Guess again.” The voice murmured. Liam cracked his eyes open and turned his head, blinking sluggishly at Theo. His gaze drifted down to his hand where his fingers had curled around a few of the other man’s feathers.

“Oh.” Flushing, he released Theo’s wing and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. The room was dark save for the light emanating from Theo’s cell phone in his lap. “Fuck. What time is it?” He asked, rolling onto his side.

“Almost midnight.” Theo said, tapping away at the game he was playing. “You definitely needed the sleep.”

“I should go back to my room.” Liam said, though he made no attempt to crawl from the bed. It was too comfortable against the memory foam. He wanted to slide under the covers and curl up beside Theo, but that was probably taking things a step too far. “Mason’s probably done having sex by now.” He hoped he would be allowed back into his room. He still felt weird about where they’d left off.

“He texted me. He was looking for you.” Theo said, looking up from his phone. “I told him you were sleeping here tonight. He seemed upset about whatever happened. “ Theo glanced down from his phone, biting his lip. “I told him I’d pass the message along. He wanted to come see you, but you were still asleep. If you want, you can go.” Something in his eyes made Liam want to stay. He couldn’t walk away from Theo, not while their friendship was so fragile.

“I’d like to stay.” Liam said, pushing up onto his forearms. “I don’t suppose you have pants I could change into. I don’t really want to sleep in jeans anymore.”

“Got a pair of sweatpants you can wear. I can give you a shirt, too.” Theo said, setting his phone down and getting to his feet. He rummaged through his dresser and tossed clothes at the bed, shifting on the balls of his feet. “Is it a problem if I sleep shirtless? I can put one on, but my wings...” he tapered off, shrugging one shoulder. Liam reached back for the clothes that had landed on his legs and sat up, stripping his shirt and changing into the new one.

“I don’t mind. Do you care what side you’re on?” Liam asked, wriggling out of his jeans and pulling the sweatpants on.

“No. I sleep on my stomach and usually spread my wings out.” Theo said as he rejoined him. He plugged his phone into the charger and flopped down face first, stretching his wings out fully. Liam thought he could make out the light blue in color, but he was having a hard time seeing in the dark. He ducked beneath Theo’s wing and slid under the covers, curling up on his side. “This okay?” Theo asked, pulling his wings in against his back. He slid his arms under his pillow and turned his head, watching Liam for a moment.

“Perfect.” Liam said around a yawn. “Thanks for letting me crash for the night. Seriously. I owe you one.” He said, sliding one arm beneath the pillow. He shivered slightly and tugged the comforter up to his chin, squinting as Theo smiled at him. “What?”

“I just can’t believe you’re cold.” Theo replied. “It’s not even that bad in here.”

“I’m always a little cold.” Liam admitted, grateful Theo couldn’t see the color in his cheeks. “It’s the worst thing about my power outside of the whole ‘no control’ bit.  I can’t regulate my body temperature. It hits below 67 degrees and I need a winter jacket. It’s warmer here than it was on the east coast, but I’m still cold. It’s something I should probably talk to Deaton about and see if he has any suggestions. I really don’t want to be the kid wearing a parka while everyone else is getting by with a hoodie.” He said, nestling down further into the mattress. Theo stayed quiet for a moment, watching him with an intensity that made his insides do somersaults. Liam closed his eyes and was fully prepared to just try and fall asleep when the bed shifted beside of him and something warm stretched over him. He looked up to find Theo’s wing covering him and his eyes shot to the other man’s face. “Theo...”

“Just for tonight. Gotta make sure my guest is comfortable, don’t I?” Theo murmured quietly. Liam didn’t answer, unsure of what he should say. Truthfully, he was already starting to feel a little warmer, a little more content. He closed his eyes again and breathed out, almost missing the quiet ‘good night’ from the other occupant of the bed.

“Thanks, Theo.” Liam whispered as he rubbed his face into his pillow, stifling a yawn. He was asleep before he knew it, dreaming of blue skies and rainbow colored wings taking him to the sun.

Liam woke to an empty bed, a jacket that had been draped over him as he slumbered, and the sound of humming. He rolled over and stretched out, yawning as he looked over to find Theo standing at his dresser. His hair was damp, as were his wings, and water steadily rolled down his feathers onto the carpet. He kept quiet as he watched Theo tug a shirt over his head, watching in fascination as the wings folded and drew slowly into his back. Theo’s face contorted for a moment as he adjusted his shirt and then he pushed his wings back out, letting them expand with ease through the holes cut in the back. “Whoa,” he whispered under his breath. Theo paid him no attention, grabbing the towel draped over his desk chair and slowly rubbing his wings to dry them better. He watched the true blue color shimmer and become magenta for a moment, taking note of the flush gracing the boy’s cheeks. Huh. Maybe that was embarrassment. He pushed up onto his elbows, clearing his throat so he didn’t startle Theo too badly.

“You’re awful at spying on people, Dunbar. Anyone ever tell you that?” Theo asked, glancing over his shoulder with a smirk in place.

“I wasn’t spying.” Liam said, flushing hotly as he tossed back the covers and crawled from the bed. He gathered his clothes from the heap on the floor, hugging them against his chest. “What time is it?”

“Almost eight. Got time to grab a shower and head down for breakfast, if you want.” Theo said, flexing his wings out for a moment. “Meet you downstairs in twenty? I’ve gotta dry my wings some more before I come down. They’re heavy like this.”

“Is that usually a problem for you?” Liam asked curiously, pulling his phone from the pocket of his jeans. It’s blown up overnight with texts from Mason, a string of apologies and emojis that make him crack a smile.

“Depends. I can shower with them tucked in, so sometimes I do that. But they needed to be washed so I went ahead with it. It’ll make my neck hurt if I don’t get them dry enough. These things are heavy, believe it or not.” Theo said with a soft chuckle. “Go on and get ready. I’ll meet you soon.”

“Sounds good.” Liam said, heading for the door. He shuffled down to his room and took a deep breath, pushing it open. He’d barely made it two feet inside before Mason was crossing the room, looking like he hadn’t slept. “Personal space, Mase.” He said gently as he eased the door shut.

“I am so,  _ so _ sorry about last night. Man, I don’t even know what came over me. It seriously wasn’t cool. This is your room too and Corey, he and I didn’t even have sex. We felt awful about kicking you out. I tried to hunt you down last night, but Theo said you were passed out in his bed. I am so sorry, dude.” Mason said, impressing him by saying it all in a single breath.

“It’s okay. It was just a weird night for both of us. I hadn’t slept and I wasn’t good company anyways. Just...next time you want the room, tell me ahead of time?” He asked softly.

“I will. Liam, I was a shitty roommate last night. Corey and I weren’t even trying to have sex before you came into the room, I swear. It just...I don’t know what came over us. I just said that without even thinking.” Mason said.

“Seems to be a lot of that going around,” Liam muttered to himself. “We’re cool, Mason. You wanna shower and grab breakfast with me and Theo?” He asked, extending an olive branch. He hoped Mason would take it as acceptance of his apology.

“Yeah.” Mason smiled weakly and nodded. “Yeah.” He turned and went to grab a set of clothes, allowing Liam to step further into the room and do the same. He paused beside his dresser, picking up his notebook and flipping it open to the chart he’d created to document the color of Theo’s wings.  _ Magenta = embarrassment?  _ he scrawled out on the first line. He’d have to actually add in the color later.

“You figure something out for that?” Mason asked, hesitating a couple of feet away. Liam nodded from him to come closer, sliding the notebook to the side for him to view. “Huh. That actually kind of makes sense.” He said, scratching his chin. “That the only one you’ve figured out?”

“So far.” Liam said, closing the notebook. He added it to his book bag and grabbed the clothes he’d sat down on his desk, picking up his shower caddy. “Come on. I’m starving.” He said, leading Mason from their room. Almost half an hour later, they finally found themselves joining Theo at his usual table behind one of the pillars. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of Mason but said nothing, nodding his greeting. “Sorry we’re a little late,” Liam said as he kicked his book bag under the table.

“Don’t need to hear about Mason’s sex life,” Theo said casually. Liam snorted and rolled his eyes, laughing as Mason’s eyes turned wide as saucers.

“We-I-“ Mason squawked, unable to form a coherent thought. Liam and Theo shared a smirk over the table, turning to watch the other boy as he squirmed. “Corey and I did not have sex!” He blurted out, louder than strictly necessary. Liam burst into laughter at that, doubling over his breakfast as he clutched at his stomach. Theo snorted softly, fighting his own laughter. People around the cafeteria were eyeing them in suspicion, but thankfully none chose to comment on the outburst. “I hate both of you,” Mason grumbled.

“No, you don’t.” Liam said, smirking. “I’ve got the texts to prove it.” He added, his grin blooming full force as Mason shot him a dirty look.

“Speaking of hating people,” Theo murmured. He nodded his head to the side where Matt was sitting by himself just a few feet away. The other boy was paying them no attention, his focus on his camera. “Didn’t we talk about giving people a chance?”

“I don’t want to.” Liam muttered under his breath. He sighed and slouched back, squirming under Theo’s firm gaze. “Fine. I’ll apologise. But later. Right now, I want to enjoy breakfast with my actual friends.” He said pointedly. Theo nodded, conceding the moment, and the tension dissipated immediately. “Where’s Corey?” Liam asked, glancing around the cafeteria. “Is he coming to join us?”

“Corey’s talking to Deaton. He should be back any minute.” Mason said, glancing toward the doorway. “It’s about a mission coming up. He wants to go out and help.”

“Sounds cool.” Liam said. He definitely needed to start learning more about the missions the various different teams went on. Maybe he’d ask Garrett or Brett the next time they hit the gym together. He knew he was a long way from ever joining them. Mastering his ability would have to come first and the thought of another session with Peter made his stomach roll. “You think I’m going to get in trouble for doing zero of my homework last night?” He asked, grimacing at the thought.

“You can copy mine. Consider it part of my apology for last night.” Mason said. “Just change the answers a little.”

“You’re an absolute saint and reinstated as my best friend here.” Liam grinned and grabbed his book bag, pulling out what he needed.

“Glad to hear it.” Mason laughed and grabbed his work, pulling it out and sliding it over to him.

“If you two get caught, I was never here.” Theo said flatly, taking another bite of his breakfast. “I refuse to be an accomplice to this.”

“It’s a one time thing. Won’t happen again.” Liam said, glancing across the table at him. “I really do put effort into my schoolwork. Yesterday was just a shitty first day.” He said.

“I guess your first session with Peter didn’t go well?” Mason asked.

“If by well you mean me blowing up and storming out, then yes.” Liam said as he scribbled down an answer. “He just pushed all of my buttons at once and I was in a bad mood already. I just wanted to crawl into bed and I was mad because we weren’t even supposed to have that session yesterday, but he requested it since I was so frustrated and my powers were acting up. I just...I don’t want to just have to be angry and control my powers through that. I hate being angry. I deal with that enough.” Liam said softly. He hadn’t meant to open up so much, but the thought had been nagging him since their session, bouncing around the back of his skull.

“Maybe that’s something you should talk to Deaton about. Ask him to sit in on your next session.” Mason suggested. “The first method doesn’t always work. Just because your abilities are coming out because of your emotions doesn’t mean that’s what controls them. There are so many other factors to consider. Emotions aren’t the reason our abilities manifest, so logically it wouldn’t be the thing that controlled them either.”

“Does anyone really know what causes abilities like ours to even exist?” Liam asked softly.

“Sometimes it’s experiences. Most of the time, actually. Sometimes we’re just born with it.” Theo spoke up, surprising them both. “What? I’ve done my research. I wrote a paper on it.”

“That makes sense.” Mason said, nodding thoughtfully. “Corey’s camouflage ability started to manifest when he was a kid and he wanted to disappear into the background. Mine started in middle school when I wanted to protect myself against the other kids. But you were born with yours, weren’t you?” He asked Theo. “You didn’t just sprout wings one day?”

“That,” Theo said, picking up his spoon to point at Mason, “is none of your business.”

“Just when I thought we were becoming better friends.” Mason sighed loudly. Liam slid his homework back to him and glanced at Theo, not too surprised to find his expression closed off. Despite the past week, he hadn’t made much progress getting to know Theo’s background story. He didn’t want to be pushy, he was grateful Theo had even let him get this close after their initial first meeting, but he couldn’t help his curiosity. Theo had fascinated him from the moment he’d laid eyes on the boy in the recreations room. He hoped that Theo at least considered him a friend at this point.

“Hey guys,” Corey greeted, snapping Liam from his thoughts. He watched the other boy sit down next to Theo after a moment of hesitation, determinedly not looking at him. Theo’s eyes widened in surprise and he pulled his wing in a little closer to five Corey more room, saying nothing. “Thanks.” The boy shot him a quick smile and Theo nodded, yellow rippling through the edge of his feathers. Liam tilted his head in consideration, pondering the possibilities of what the color actually meant. Surprise? Shock? Confusion? Maybe disbelief? He’d have to write down all of those as options and do further research. “Liam, I wanted to apologize for last night.” Corey said softly. He blinked and looked over, flushing as he realized Mason had caught him studying Theo’s wings if his smirk was anything to go by.

“We’re cool. Thanks for the apology.” Liam assured. “How did your meeting go?” He asked, eager to change the subject.

“It was great! Deaton thinks maybe I could help Stiles in the van for this mission to get the hang of things...” Corey said, launching into a detailed explanation with names Liam wasn’t too familiar with and places he’d never heard of before. He finished his breakfast and nodded along at the appropriate moments, relaxing as he looked at the small table of the people he already considered close friends. Despite getting off on the wrong foot with Theo and a few strained interactions with Mason and Corey, he valued their friendship and was glad he had pushed past those moments and gotten to know them. Maybe Theo was right about getting to know Matt. He had given these three a chance despite some of their mistakes, why shouldn’t he give the other boy that same chance? He glanced over at the boy still fiddling with his camera, internally sighing. Dinner then. He’d give it a shot when their day was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theo’s wing color chart as created by Liam 
> 
> \- Magenta = Embarrassment?  
> \- Yellow = Confusion? Shock? Disbelief? Need more evidence...


	8. Chapter 8

As the final bell rang and classes were dismissed into the hall, Liam found himself waiting outside of Professor Hale’s classroom. Peter hardly gave him a second look as he brushed past, marching down the hall and snapping his fingers. Liam rolled his eyes and followed, tightening the hold on his bag. Mason offered him a sympathetic look as they headed downstairs and Liam mimed blowing his brains out. He sighed heavily as they walked outside, glancing up at the overcast sky. Maybe after dinner and his conversation with Matt, he’s go for a run in the downpour the forecast had promised. It was one of his favorite things to do, though it often chilled him to the bone after a short period in the rain. Still, it usually granted him a clear head and he was already picturing needing one after things inevitably went south with Matt.

Liam tossed his book bag to the ground as they entered the gym, heading for the locker room with his gym bag still hanging from his arm. He changed quickly and walked back to join Peter, stretching his arms over his head as he stepped onto the mat. Just as he began to move for the center, a hard shove against his chest sent him flailing back and landing on his ass. “Hey! What the hell?” Liam growled out, glowering up at the older man.

“You think a bad day is going to wait until your ready? That an enemy will wait until you’ve centered yourself?” Peter raised an eyebrow at him.

“You want to keep pushing my buttons and see me explode?” Liam asked, getting up off the floor and taking a step back. “I’m not going to do it.”

“You will. Everyone has a breaking point.” Peter shrugged one shoulder and threw a wide punch. Liam’s quick reflexes saved him from a bruised jaw as he dodged to the side, anger thrumming through him. Violence had never been part of the agreement with Deaton. Did he know what Peter was doing to him?

“Touch me and you’re going to regret it,” Liam warned. He stumbled back just before Peter’s fist could connect with his stomach and flames licked at his palms, itching to be released.

They traded blows and defensive blocks for almost half an hour, Liam’s frustration mounting until his skin was smoking and he called it quits. With Peter’s taunts coming in from behind, he flipped him off and stormed outside. The sky had darkened, matching his black mood. As Liam made his way up the path to the school, Isaac and Garrett both stopped to greet him. “Hey, man.” Isaac smiled as he reached out to clap him on the shoulder. Liam jerked back involuntarily, his nostrils flaring as he glared at the other boy. “Liam. You okay?”

“Fuck off,” Liam snapped. Garrett’s expression soured immediately and he placed himself between the pair, shielding Isaac and his wounded puppy look.

“Take a hike, Dunbar. Before I make you regret opening your goddamn mouth.” Garrett scowled. Liam shoved past and flipped him the bird as well, ignoring the insults Garrett tossed at his back as he got closer to the main building. He was three steps away when the door opened, revealing the last person he wanted to see when he was in a mood like this.

“Liam.” Theo raised an eyebrow, remaining frozen in the doorway. “The hell happened to you?” He asked.

“Get out of my way.” Liam said. Theo stepped closer and let the door shut, shaking his head. “Theo, seriously. Fucking move.”

“If you go inside right now, you’ll set off the fire alarm.” Theo said. Liam glanced down to find flames wrapped around his forearms and wrists and stumbled back, clenching his jaw as he looked at his friend. “Bad session with Peter?” Theo guessed.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s what Deaton thinks is best.” Liam said, turning on his heel and heading back down the hill. He needed to find a way to cool down and fast. He’d only managed to gain a few yards when Theo fell into step beside him, nodding his head off the path. “Where are you taking me?” Liam asked, hesitating as Theo walked onto the grass and flared his wings out. The edges rippled a yellow-green in color and Liam frowned, his curiosity winning him over as he slowly began to follow.

“To spar.” Theo said, turning around to look at him when they were a good distance away from the school and the path. It was still within sight, but Liam didn’t think there was a concern of burning it to the ground.

“In case you didn’t notice, I’m literally on fire. This is a terrible idea.” Liam said, frowning.

“I can protect myself. You’re not going to burn me, Liam. You’d have to actually be able to land a punch and you’re not that lucky.” Theo winked and rolled his sleeves back above his shoulders. “You ready?”

“The second I touch you, you’re going to get hurt. Seriously.” Liam said, eyeing his friend. Had he lost his mind?

“Let me worry about me.” Theo said, flexing his wings out. Liam took the stance across from him and inhaled slowly, eyeing Theo and tossing a punch he could easily avoid. Anger rippled through him as Theo walked straight into it, throwing his wings around himself at the last second. Liam jerked back as his burning skin touched the feathers, terrified he’d actually burned the other boy, but nothing had happened. “They don’t just look pretty,” Theo said as he lowered his wing. He pushed out with the other, knocking Liam off-balance.

“They’re like a shield,” Liam whispered in realization, his eyes widening as Theo smirked. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Because of that look on your face.” Theo chuckled. “Bring it on.” He motioned with one hand and Liam grinned, throwing himself full force into it.

The more they fought together, the more Liam was able to relax. By the fifth thrown punch, the flames had disappeared from his skin and a smile had taken over his face. Whatever Theo was doing, it was working wonders. His presence alone was enough to soothe Liam’s frayed nerves, but he refused to let himself think on that for too long. He couldn’t afford to let himself have feelings for his friend, not when their friendship was still a fragile thing. As the first few drops of rain fell from the sky, Liam raked his sweat soaked arm across his forehead and grinned widely. “Thanks,” he said softly.

“You looked like you needed it. Come on, let’s go hit the showers and grab your stuff. Then dinner?” Theo asked, folding his wings tight against his spine as they began to walk toward the gym. Just as they reached the doors, the sky opened up and poured down on them. Laughing, Liam grabbed the door handle and Theo darted inside as quickly as possible.

“I can’t do dinner,” Liam said as he shook himself dry. He grabbed his book bag and followed Theo to the locker rooms, pausing as he glanced into the weight room. “Can you give me a minute?”

“Sure, but don’t blame me if the hot water is gone by the time you actually get in here.” Theo chuckled and dragged his shirt over his head, his wings folding and flexing in the process. Liam itched to run his fingers through their feathers and clenched his fingers against his thighs.

“Whatever.” Liam rolled his eyes and laughed, heading into the weight room while Theo disappeared into a shower stall. He rubbed the back of his neck as he approached the bench where Garrett was helping Isaac. “Hey. Can I steal a moment of your time?” He asked softly as Garrett helped Isaac lift the bar up to lock it in place.

“Depends on if I need to hit you or not after,” Garrett returned coolly.

“I’m sorry I snapped at both of you. I was having an off day and that’s not an excuse, I know. We all have off days. I just didn’t want to hurt either of you. I shouldn’t have lashed out at you for trying to check on me. I’m really sorry.” Liam said softly, looking between the pair. Isaac’s expression softened in understanding and he nodded his head. Garrett huffed and blew out a breath, nodding.

“Thanks. You do that again, we’re going to have words.” Garrett cautioned. “But we’re cool. We all have bad days.”

“It’s okay. You literally had steam coming from your ears. I can let it slide.” Isaac smiled gently and Liam’s shoulders relaxed as the tension dropped.

“Thanks. I’ll see you both later.” Liam smiled timidly and headed back to the showers. His smile widened as he heard Theo humming quietly from within and he stripped down, sliding into a separate stall. The one great thing about the gym was the ready availability of a shower tote with shampoo, soap, and more than enough clean towels. Liam could definitely get used to this. He tipped his head beneath the spray and closed his eyes, letting the warm water roll down his body and soothe his tired muscles.

“So why not dinner?” Theo asked, his shower turning off a moment later. “You never gave me a reason.”

“Well, I’ve thought about it and I want to take your advice. I decided I should talk to Matt and try and smooth things over with him. I think I’ve been reading too much into the whole situation.” Liam admitted with a sigh. “Maybe he really hasn’t been hitting on me and I’ve overreacted like a jackass. He deserves an apology.” He said. Theo hummed in response and Liam sighed, ducking his head back under the spray to rinse off. He cut the water and grabbed the towel outside of his stall, wrapping it around his waist as he stepped out of the cubicle.

“Proud of you,” Theo commented over his shoulder. He was wearing boxers, using the towel to dry off his hair. Stray water droplets slid down his bare chest and Liam’s mouth went dry. “I know Matt can be a pain, but that’s my bias talking. You might actually get along with him.”

“Or I’ll realize even more how badly I want to torch him,” Liam muttered from the side of his mouth. Judging by the way Theo’s lips lifted, he caught the slip. He headed into the locker room itself and went to his locker, retrieving the clothes he’d tossed in there before his session with Peter. “Might not be able to eat with you, but we can hang after. Is that okay?” Liam asked, tugging his shirt over his head as Theo entered the room.

“Absolutely.” Theo assured as he grabbed Liam’s towel, tossing it in the laundry bin at the far end of the room. “Video games? Then you can tell me all about your convo with Matt while we blow things up.”

“Deal.” Grinning, Liam laced up his sneakers and followed Theo from the locker room. With his damp clothes tucked under his arm and his book bag rescued from the corner he’d abandoned it in, the pair made their way quickly up the path before the torrential downpour started again. They parted ways by the stairs, Theo going to eat and Liam going to take his stuff upstairs. He made his way to the cafeteria a few minutes later, loading up his tray and glancing around. Matt was in the far corner, going through his camera. Taking a deep breath, Liam cautiously made his way over and hovered at the end of the table. “Mind if I take a seat?” He asked, careful to keep his tone light and friendly.

“Surprised you want to be anywhere near me.” Matt said, looking up at him warily. “But go ahead.” Liam exhaled slowly and sat down, tapping his fingers against the side of his tray nervously. “Look,” Matt sighed, “I don’t really want to fight with you right now. I’m sorry about the other day and all on the stairwell.”

“Me too. I’ve been up and down a lot lately and I’m taking it out on others.” Liam blew out slowly. “I don’t hate you. I don’t.”

“I was hitting on you in the beginning. But I come on strong and so I should have respected your space and backed off. I didn’t realize I was going too far. And you got angry and I got defensive. You’re not the only person on edge right now. I’ve had a lot of headaches lately and I’ve been on a short fuse of my own.” Matt dragged his fingers back through his hair. “We’re cool, Liam. Sorry I’ve been a bitch to you.”

“You get headaches a lot?” Liam asked. “My mom used to make me this tea that really helped. If you want, I could give you the recipe.” The offer was a pitifully veiled attempt at a peace treaty. Matt smiled and nodded, a hesitant smile appearing.

“Yeah. Comes with the territory of my mind abilities. Things get overwhelming. I’m sure you can relate with your anger and fire and all. Must be annoying at times.” Matt said sympathetically. Liam tried not to bristle, knowing there was no reason to actually get upset. He forced himself to nod and Matt’s smile seemed more genuine. “Thanks for talking to me, Liam. I appreciate that.”

“Just wanted to clear the air.” Liam shrugged and began to eat. An awkward silence fell over them, neither one knowing quite what to say. Each time Liam thought he had something, he decided against it and let the silence drag on. Matt seemed content to not pay him much attention, focused on whatever he was doing on his camera. Liam grabbed his empty tray and got up, hovering awkwardly beside the table. “See ya around,” he said slowly. Matt nodded and smiled up at him. Relaxing, Liam turned and walked away. He was all too eager to ditch the cafeteria and rush upstairs, passing his own door to knock on Theo’s.

The door opened after his third harried knock, the winged boy lifting an eyebrow at him as he leaned against the door frame. “Your friendship with Matt cut short by his snark and your temper?” He teased lightly. Liam scoffed and shouldered past him, flopping down onto the bed. “Why yes, Liam, do come on in. Please.” Theo muttered with a soft chuckle.

“You invited me, you dick.” Liam reminded as he sprawled himself across the mattress. “Fuck. I want a bed this magical. Can you trade rooms with me?”

“I don’t want Mason as a roommate. You’re outta luck. And it was mine first,” Theo said. He turned on the tv and grabbed a couple of controllers, tossing them onto the bed. Liam groaned as one hit his back.

“Matt was nice to me,” Liam said as he rolled over and sat up so Theo could have room beside him. He reached back for a controller, yawning. “It was kind of weird. Not what I was expecting.”

“Yeah?” Theo raised an eyebrow and sat down, spreading his wings back behind them.

“It was ridiculous.” Liam said before giving a quick retelling of the story. Theo listened, nodding at all the right places, and didn’t seem the slightest bit weirded out when Liam was done. “Well? Isn’t that suspicious?” He demanded.

“He was nice to you and apologized. I think that makes him decent.” Theo shrugged one shoulder.

“I can’t believe you right now.” Liam huffed. Theo snorted softly and bumped their shoulders together, a half smile appearing. “Don’t look at me like that. Start the game. You’re going down, Raeken.”

“You wish.” Theo chuckled and hit the start button. Liam shifted his gaze to the screen, trying not to reflect on the warmth radiating from Theo’s arm where they were still connected.

The next hour ticked by, Liam’s exhaustion growing with each passing minute. He quit after a few rounds and decided to watch Theo play, struggling to keep his eyes open. Somehow, his head ended up pillowed on Theo’s shoulder and something warm was draped along his back. He didn’t think too much on it, letting his eyes drift shut as Theo’s wing fluttered against him. He wasn’t sure how much time passed after that, but eventually Theo was shaking him awake and he cracked his eyes open to find Theo lit by the glowing tv screen. “Hey, sleepyhead.” Theo smiled fondly. “Didn’t think I wore you out so much today.”

“Long day,” Liam murmured as he rubbed his face against Theo’s shoulder. He tipped his head back further, caught up in Theo’s gorgeous green eyes. The other boy’s smile slipped away as he tilted his head further down, barely a breath away from Liam. This was it. This was the moment Liam had been dressing and dreaming about for days. He closed his eyes and started to lean up, feeling the phantom brush of Theo’s lips against his own.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, startling him back to reality. He jerked back and glanced at the clock on Theo’s nightstand, scrambling to his feet. “Shit! I forgot about the homework!” He cursed, sliding into his shoes as he headed for the door. “I’m sorry! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Liam, wait-“ Theo tried. Liam ducked out the door and made a dash for his room, slipping inside just as Theo’s door opened behind him. He groaned, turning and thumping his forehead against the door with a heavy sigh. He was a fucking idiot. Swallowing hard, he listened to Theo’s footsteps trail to a halt outside of his bedroom door. A soft sweat sounded from outside and something heavy leaned against the door. Liam lifted his hand up, wishing for a moment that he had the courage to open it back up. He flattened his palm against the door and let his eyes close. He was screwed.


	9. Chapter 9

To say that Liam had royally fucked up felt like the understatement of the century.

The almost kiss with Theo had him tossing and turning for most of the night and made him realize that he’d probably left the worst message of all time. He hadn’t meant to run away from Theo. But his phone going off truly had taken him by surprise and seeing the time had made him anxious. He’d regretted it the moment he’d escaped back into his bedroom and realized the mistake. Now he would have to try and talk to Theo over breakfast and once again beg for his forgiveness. He wondered if there was a limit in how many times a friend would forgive you before deciding that you weren’t worth the hassle. If there was, then he was getting dangerously close.

He showered and dressed with little enthusiasm, dreading making the trip downstairs to face Theo. How was he supposed to explain his behavior? It wasn’t that he didn’t feel an attraction for Theo. The opposite was true. But he didn’t want to tell Theo that. For one, he doubted his feelings would be returned. But he also wasn’t sure a relationship was what he needed at the moment. As much as he wanted Theo...it wasn’t the right time. He needed a chance to adjust to the school itself and start getting his powers under his control. A boyfriend would only be a distraction.

He was two steps inside of the cafeteria when Deaton caught him by the arm, an apologetic smile on his lips. “Mr. Dunbar. Would you mind having breakfast with me in my office? I’d like to discuss something with you.” He said, dropping his hand away.

“I...” Liam shifted his gaze to see Theo’s multi-colored wings disappearing around the column where they usually sat together and swallowed hard. “Yeah. Sorry, yes. We can.” He said.

“Excellent. I’ll meet you there, the door will be open.” Deaton clapped him warmly on the shoulder and walked away, leaving Liam feeling confused and anxious. Had he done something wrong? Mind racing with endless possibilities, he gathered an apple from the line and an orange juice before walking to his usual table. Theo looked up at his approach, his expression closing off when Liam didn’t immediately sit down.

“Deaton wants to meet with me. Can we talk at lunch? About...about last night?” Liam asked softly. Relief rushed through him when Theo’s gaze softened in understanding and he nodded. “Thanks. Wish me luck, I kind of feel like I’m going to hurl.” He admitted.

“Everything will be fine, you’ll see.” Theo said, his voice low and tougher than usual. Liam studied the bags under his eyes and nodded, realizing Theo carried the same exhaustion as him.

“Thanks.” Managing a weak smile, he turned on his heel and headed for the main corridor. He greeted Mason and Corey on his way out, briefly explaining where he was going before he left them. Deaton’s office door was wide and inviting as Liam reached it and he stepped inside, easing the door shut behind him. The older man looked up from his desk and smiled softly, beckoning him closer and to take a seat.

“That’s a light breakfast, isn’t it?” Deaton asked casually as Liam set his apple down on the desk.

“I wasn’t really hungry,” Liam lied.

“I can understand that.” Deaton said, leaning forward on his elbows. “I would like you to relax, Liam. I didn’t ask you here because I’m upset with you.” Despite his gentle words, the tension in Liam’s shoulders didn’t lessen. “If I may, I’d like to ask your side of the story with your training sessions. How are they going?”

“Miserably,” Liam said honestly. “Mr. Hale just gets under my skin and pushes too many buttons. I know I’m supposed to be learning control, but it doesn’t feel like he’s helping. I feel awful at the end of every session and my control feels like it’s getting worse. He wants to see my angry, but that’s my biggest problem and block to overcome. I have a medical condition, getting angry is genetic for me. His methods might work for himself and other students, but they don’t work for me.” He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “I’m sorry. I know he’s my teacher and all, but he’s a dick.” Deaton’s lips twitched in a faint smile at the insult before he schooled it into a more neutral expression.

“I understand that Peter’s methods can be intense and they aren’t for everyone. I wish you had come to me about this,” he said gently.

“I thought you’d be mad because it was only the second session and you’d think I wasn’t giving it a real try.” Liam whispered, dropping his gaze and feeling the heat rise in his cheeks.

“Not at all.” Deaton assured. “Liam, you would not be the first student to require a different mentor. There have been personality clashes in the past and it’s never a problem. I can always reassign a mentor.” Deaton explained.

“I didn’t know.” Liam said softly.

“And that’s my fault. I should have made that clear in the beginning and I apologize for making you feel that you were stuck with a mentor you butted heads with.” Deaton told him.

“A bit of an understatement,” Liam muttered under his breath.

“I came to see your second training session to check in with you,” Deaton continued as though he hadn’t heard him. “I wanted to see how you were progressing and get a feel for your powers. Do you know what I saw that day?”

“I walked out on Peter and went off on Isaac,” Liam sighed heavily. “I apologized after,” he added quickly.

“I know. Mr. Raeken told me about it.” Deaton smiled gently. “I got to watch you spar with Theo for a few minutes. Watching the two of you work together, it was crystal clear to me why Peter was a terrible choice. Your abilities aren’t fueled and controlled by your anger, Liam. It’s  _ passion _ .”

“Is there a difference?” Liam asked.

“There is.” Deaton’s smile stretched. “I have a proposition for you, if you’d like to hear it.”

“I’m game for anything.” Liam suggested eagerly, straightening up in his chair. Anything that would get him away from working with Peter.

“I’d like to up your training to three times a week with a new mentor. Since you responded to Theo so positively, I’ve asked him to become your new mentor.” Deaton explained. Liam’s stomach plummeted.

“He wouldn’t want that,” he whispered. Not after their near kiss and Liam running away. Things would get weird and awkward between them and he couldn’t lose this friendship. Not for his sake, but for Theo’s.

“Interesting that you would say that when it was his idea to begin with,” Deaton replied. “He came to me this morning and suggested you stop your sessions with Peter. He was quite concerned for your well-being.”

“What?” Liam said dumbly, his heart starting to race in his chest. Theo had been worried about him? He’d suggested a change in his mentor? Even after what had happened the previous night? The thought made his head spin. Maybe things weren’t so bad between them after all.

“If you’d be happy with this arrangement, then I will make sure the gym is reserved for your sessions so that you can practice in peace.” Deaton explained, leaning back in his chair. “But if you have any reservations-“

“I don’t!” Liam said quickly, his cheeks flushed. “I want to. Theo is definitely a good fit.” He could continue to fight his crush. Right?

-

Morning classes passed in a haze. Liam tried to pay attention and take notes, but his focus kept slipping and returning to his conversation with Deaton. He couldn’t wrap his mind around why Theo would want to spar with him and mentor him after Liam had run from his room last night. He couldn’t imagine Theo not really being upset with him. But even when they’d spoken at breakfast, Theo had smiled and reassured him despite being wary at first. The truth was, Liam had no idea how to read Theo or what to make of him. But he knew someone who did.

Liam made his way to the cafeteria slower during the rush to get lunch, keeping his eyes trained for dark brown hair. He managed to cut her off at the stairs, holding up his hands as her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Malia. I just want to talk to you.” He said gently. “Can I meet you after classes today?” He asked. Her lips pressed in a thin line as she scrutinized him, waiting for what felt like ages. When Liam was ready to give up, she gave a sharp nod and shouldered past him roughly. He turned, watching her point at their English classroom, and nodded in understanding as she continued downstairs. Feeling a little more confident, he followed after. He piled food onto his plate and headed to his usual area, surprised to see Scott and Brett in his usual space across from Theo. “Sorry I’m late,” he said as he slid into the open seat beside Theo. So much for their conversation.

“Hey, Liam.” Scott smiled warmly. “Sorry to take your spot. We were just asking Theo if he would be interested in going on the next mission with us.”

“What mission?” Liam asked curiously.

“Doesn’t matter,” Theo said curtly. His gaze remained focused on Brett. “I said no.”

“I can go if you guys need to talk.” Liam said, gripping the edges of his tray and starting to get up. He jumped when Theo’s wing curled around his back, keeping him close.

“Stay.”

“Don’t be so territorial, Theo.” Brett chuckled. “We’ll go.” He said, lifting is tray and nodding at Scott as he stood up. “But think about it. Give it some serious thought, Theo.”

“We could really use your help out there, Theo.” Scott said gently, getting to his feet. “Have a good day. Both of you.” He smiled at Liam before turning away, following after the taller boy. As soon as they sat at another table, Theo let his wing fall back and Liam took a seat again.

“What was that about?” Liam asked as he opened his water bottle, turning to look at Theo. Red rippled along the edges of his wings, expression darkening briefly before it smoothed back out.

“Nothing. What was last night about?” Theo returned coldly. Liam flinched, heart hammering in his chest as heat flooded his cheeks.

“That’s not fair,” Liam whispered.

“You’re the one who ran out.” Theo snapped.

“And I feel awful enough about it. I don’t need you adding on to that,” Liam said. “I didn’t do it to hurt your feelings. I did it because I’m scared of my own.” White knuckles gripped his tray as he got back up, moving away from the table. “I came to apologize, I wanted to make sure we were fine. I don’t need you throwing it in my face that I made a mistake. I’ve had enough of that to go around.”

“Liam, wait-“

“No. Screw this.” Liam said firmly, turning and walking away. He grabbed the bag of chips from his tray before dumping the rest in the trash, leaving the cafeteria. If Theo was going to be a jackass, then so be it. He didn’t deserve to be yelled at, especially not by someone he considered a friend. He took the stairs two at a time to his room, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the pictures on the wall. He tossed the chips onto the nightstand and stood in the middle of the room, anger making him tremble as fire licked at his palms.

The door opened behind him and he spun on his heel, holding his hand out in warning to stop whoever it was. Fire exploded from his fingertips, launching at the wall and creating a black mark scant inches from Mason’s head. His body went cold as the dark-skinned boy turned silver, his body shifting defensively into metal as he stared with wide eyes at his roommate. “I-I didn’t-“

“What the fuck, man?” Mason’s voice cracked in fear and the door opened further. Corey took one look at Liam and then the wall before his expression shifted to something thunderous.

“You could have killed him!” He shouted, shoving Mason behind him. “Get out. Get out now before I make you wish you’d never come here.” He growled in warning.

“I’m so fucking sorry,” Liam whispered as he took a step closer. “Excuse me,” he said as he pushed past the pair and headed for the stairs.

“Liam!” His body tensed at the sound of Theo’s voice and he turned, chest heaving as he looked at the other boy. “Liam, wait a second.” He pleaded as he walked closer, hands up in a non-threatening manner.

“Don’t.” Liam swallowed thickly, tears in his eyes. “I’m dangerous.” With that, he turned away and vaulted down the staircase before sprinting for the exit. He didn’t stop running until he was in the woods, blood roaring in his ears as he tried to remember how to breathe. Each gasp sent pain flaring through him and he stumbled to a halt, tears streaking fresh trails down his rosy cheeks. He’d hurt Mason. The one person who had been at his side from day one. He’d scared him and damn near killed him without meaning to. This was why he didn’t deserve to be here. This was why he needed to be locked away instead. When Deaton found out, he’d kick Liam out faster than he could blink.

He wasn’t sure how long he spent crouched in the bushes, hidden from sight by the main path. All he knew was that his legs throbbed by the time he got to his feet, painful tingles racing through him. He could see students heading for the gym on the main path and he eased his way from the foliage, heading for the path and trying to act casual. No one gave him a second glance.

Liam made it halfway to his room without being detected when Malia stepped in his path. Gripping his upper arm with an iron grasp, she hauled him into a bedroom and the door shut behind them. Her eyes flashed electric blue and she pinned him up against the wall, teeth bared in an unhappy snarl. “I told you not to hurt him,” she ground out.

“I didn’t-“ Liam tried but her arm pressed against his throat, effectively silencing him.

“Theo is our friend. When he hurts, it hurts us. So you’re going to apologize for being the world’s biggest dick before I have to rip out your esophagus. Got it?” She demanded. He gave a weak nod and she released him, stepping back and giving him room to catch his breath. “Next time you want something from us, you’d better pray that you haven’t hurt our friend.” With that, her eyes shifted back to normal and went wide. Her hand covered her mouth and Liam winced, rubbing his throat.

“I got the message.” He rasped, expression darkening as he turned away and reached for the door handle. She touched his arm and he looked back, confusion marring his face as she signed to him an apology. “Whatever you think you’re doing, it’s not funny.” He said before opening the door and stepping into the hall. Theo was standing there, his eyes wide he looked past Liam.

“Liam. What did Malia want?” He asked, voice shaky and uncertain.

“To threaten me.” Liam scowled. “You know, next time you should just tell me yourself. Don’t make someone else do it for you.” He said before storming off.

“Liam, stop.” Theo pleaded, following after him. Liam quickened his steps as he reached the stairs, only halting when his eyes fell on the person coming up them.

“Hey, Matt.” He greeted. “You busy this weekend?” He asked, sliding his hands into his pockets.

“Not exactly.” Matt’s eyes strayed past him and Liam didn’t look, knowing that Theo had stopped at the top of the stairs to watch them. “What’s up?”

“We should go out this weekend.” Liam said, swallowing back his nerves and the way his stomach rolled at the thought. “Get a group and have a night on the town.”

“Yeah?” Matt’s eyes widened in surprise and he nodded, a satisfied smile sliding into place. “I think I’d like that.”

“Perfect. I look forward to it.” Grinning, Liam turned on his heel and headed back up the stairs. He brushed shoulders with Theo, lingering for a moment to speak in his ear. “Now it’s your turn to hurt.”

With that, he strolled back to his bedroom and tried not to let his heart shatter.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn’t think I’d make you wait too long for this, did you?

Liam didn’t even bother with his bedroom that night. Somehow, he managed to avoid his friends and roommate until night had settled over the mansion and everyone was in their rooms. He left the gym and quietly slipped back inside, heading for the recreation room where he knew the couch would be free. Sure enough, the room was empty upon his arrival. He sat down on the edge of the couch and glanced around, frowning when he realized there were no pillows or any type of blanket draped over the back of the couch. It would make for a cold night, but he couldn’t imagine trying to go to his room to get anything. He’d just have to suffer through it for a night. Maybe in the morning, he and Deaton could discuss a different room arrangement.

As he settled down on his side, he heard the board creak down the hall and snapped his eyes open. Theo quietly stepped into the room, hovering in the doorway as he watched Liam. “Hey.” He said softly, leaning his shoulder against the frame of the door and crossing his arms over his chest. “Can we please talk? And not snap at each other and run away?” He asked quietly.

“I don’t know.” Liam admitted softly, his voice low and rough from lack of sleep and Malia’s intervention. “You going to sick your friend on me again?”

“I didn’t.” Theo sighed. “I wouldn’t have even mentioned that you and I were on bad footing if I’d thought she would have reacted so poorly. I didn’t know she was going to threaten you. I didn’t ask her to, Liam. You’re my friend.”

“You sure as hell didn’t treat me like one at lunch.” Liam muttered. He felt a stab of guilt as hurt flickered over Theo’s face. “Why did you throw that in my face?”

“Because I don’t know how to have friends that talk back to me.” Theo shrugged. “I was upset and I took it out on you. I just...I didn’t want you to ask about the mission and I went with my gut and snapped at you. I shouldn’t have done that. I tried to follow, but you were freaked out by whatever happened with Mason.”

“He didn’t tell you?” Liam asked.

“I didn’t stick around to find out. By the time I was outside, you were gone.” Theo cautiously stepped away from the wall. “Then when you finally came back, I heard Scott say that Malia had grabbed you. When I got there, she’d threatened you and then you know the rest of the story.”

“She acted like she didn’t know what she was doing after it happened.” Liam said softly. Theo took another step closer, nodding his head.

“She didn’t. Not all of her. Malia’s got two personas that live inside of her. One speaks and fights, the other is mute and meek. She can’t always control when the more dominant one comes out.” Theo explained. “She had no idea what she’d done to you. She feels awful for it.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Liam sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping as all fight left drained out of him. “I just...she scared me. And I get angry when I get scared. And then I fucking...I wanted you to hurt as much as I did. So I threw Matt in your face because I know how much you hate him.”

“We both fucked up.” Cautiously, Theo took the seat beside of him and bumped their shoulders together. “I’m sorry for snapping at you at lunch.”

“And I’m sorry for getting mad at you over it. I like you, Theo. A lot. I just...a crush is the last thing I need right now. I want to be able to control my powers first. I want to fit in and stop fucking things up. I could have killed Mason today or horribly injured him. He got lucky.” Liam sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I threw a fireball at him. I didn’t mean to, it just happened. And he was so scared of me. I feel awful.”

“You should talk to him in the morning.” Theo suggested gently, pressing his shoulder solidly against Liam’s in comfort. Warmth radiated from the contact and he leaned into Theo, eager to take it all in. “I think he was just shocked. Not saying you should throw a fireball at him again, but I think he’ll forgive you pretty quick. Everyone here struggled with control and nearly hurt someone. Some actually did hurt people. You’ve only been here a couple of weeks. We have some here who still don’t have control. I don’t say that to worry you, I say that so you don’t feel like you have to master control right now.”

“I’ll try. But I might have to look for a new roommate. I doubt he’s going to want me.” Liam whispered. Theo’s wing curled around him for a moment and he shuddered, leaning his weight fully into the other boy.

“My room is always open for you.” Theo murmured. “Come on, Liam. Why don’t we go up so you can sleep? You look exhausted.”

“You sure?” Liam asked warily, looking up at him. Theo’s wing tightened around him and the other boy leaned in, brushing a warm kiss to his forehead.

“Promise.” Theo said, offering his hand. He pulled Liam up and kept their hands tangled together, guiding him from the room and up the stairwell. Liam did his best to ignore his bedroom as they walked past, feeling a twinge of regret. An apology wasn’t going to be enough for Mason. He’d need to get on his hands and knees and beg forgiveness for what he’d done. Not to mention what he would need to do in order to appease Corey. Seeing the usually soft spoken boy angry had been terrifying.

Theo opened the door to his room and ushered Liam inside, nodding at the pile of clothes already waiting on the bed. When Liam turned and raised an eyebrow, he shrugged. “I got the feeling you weren’t going back to your room tonight. It was either sleep in here or I bring my blankets to the couch. Didn’t want you to freeze.” He explained, pulling his shirt over his head and carefully over his wings.

“You’re a considerate guy. Thanks,” Liam said as he stripped down. He kept his gaze focused on the task at hand, trying his hardest not to stare at Theo’s bare chest. The last thing he wanted to do was make things awkward between them again. Pulling in the sweatpants and tank top, he crawled under the covers and settled down as Theo cut out the light. “We’re okay?” He asked as darkness enveloped the room and Theo shuffled over to the bed.

“We will be.” Theo said firmly, sliding under the covers and stretching his wing out over Liam. “Next time though maybe don’t ask out Matt in front of me?”

“Oh my god. I can’t believe I did that.” Groaning, Liam buried face down into the pillow. “And I can’t cancel and be a dick. We just started being friendly...ish.”

“Just be careful.” Theo replied, sliding his arms under his pillow. “I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“I know. And I’m sorry again for...all of this mess. I just have a hard time with my anger. I need to start taking my medicine again.” Liam admitted, voice muffled. Theo hummed in acknowledgement and Liam sighed, shifting onto his side and gazing up briefly at Theo’s wings. They’d turned violet, barely noticeable in the dark, and Theo wore a pleased smile as he met Liam’s gaze. “Night,” Liam whispered as his cheeks heated and he closed his eyes. Theo’s quiet murmur lulled him into relaxation and he drifted off.

He woke wrapped in Theo’s arms, head pressed against his chest and hands trapped between them. Warmth radiated from the other boy and Liam snuggled closer, briefly basking in it before reality came crashing back over him. Fuck. He shouldn’t be enjoying this. He didn’t want to make things any harder for Theo than they had to be. Collecting his senses, he slowly shifted back out of Theo’s arms and out from under his wing. The other boy groaned and opened his eyes and Liam crawled from the bed, blearily blinking at him. “Where are you going?”

“To make things right with Mason and Corey.” Liam said softly.

“You sure that’s a good idea?” Theo asked, rubbing at his eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, I think you should,” he added when Liam narrowed his eyes. “But maybe you all need another day or so to cool off.”

“I’m not running from my room and my problems.” Liam said, tugging on his sneakers. “I’m going to try and catch them over breakfast.”

“I’ll see you after. If not, I’ll see you at lunch.” Theo said, burying his face down against the pillow.

“Aren’t you an early riser?” Liam asked, grabbing his clothes from where he’d discarded them on the floor. “Can’t believe I’m up before you and getting ready first. Seems like a miracle,” he teased. Theo groaned and grabbed his pillow, tossing it without looking. It sailed harmlessly over Liam’s shoulder and he snorted softly.

“Think I’m skipping classes today and I’ll go see Melissa. I don’t feel so great.” Theo admitted.

“You need anything?” Liam asked as he turned to grab the pillow from the floor. “Do you want me to find her and send her up here?”

“No, I’ll go after I sleep a little more. Just a headache, not a big deal.” Theo muttered. “That and I’m kind of warm.”

“Take it easy then and get some sleep. I’ll check on you later if I don’t see you.” Liam promised, reaching over and lightly rubbing Theo’s ankle. The other boy hummed in acknowledgement, wings stretching out as he began to fall asleep. He tiptoed from the room and back to his own, relieved that the room was empty and he could grab his shower supplies.

By the time he made it to the cafeteria, it was mostly crowded with his classmates and teachers. He quickly filled a tray and headed to Mason and Corey’s table, sitting down before he could think twice about it. “Just hear me out and then I’ll go,” he started as he looked up at them. Mason’s eyes went wide and he nodded. Corey lightly squeezed Mason’s hand and waited for him to continue. “I fucked up yesterday. I did. But I was having a bad day and I was upset. Mason, I never meant to attack you. I shouldn’t have gone to our room. I just wanted to take a nap, but I should have done something to cool down first.”

“I’ll be honest with you. You really scared me,” Mason said softly. “But I wasn’t mad at you. I was worried, man. I’d never seen you angry like that.”

“I could have hurt you.” Liam reminded.

“But you didn’t.” Mason reached across the table, softly squeezing his hand in reassurance. “I just wanted to check on you last night.”

“I’m the one that owes you an apology.” Corey spoke up. Liam snapped his gaze to him, lips parting in surprise. “I got upset because of what you did. What you could have done. I’m protective over Mason, he’s kind of my everything. But...I know you’re his friend. More importantly, you’re mine and I need to treat you like one. You’re different than most of us here, Liam. No, let me say it.” Corey said firmly as Mason shot him an anxious look. “Your power can hurt people. I turn invisible. Mason’s skin turns into a shield. Theo has wings. Scott can control animals. Stiles has an eidetic memory. There aren’t many here that are capable of doing a lot of real damage. I’ve never had to really experience it until you came along. I don’t have to worry about control slipping for myself because I turn invisible and it’s not a big deal to me. But Mason pointed out that you’ve been going through a lot lately and I need to stop being so hard on you. And he’s right.”

“All the more reason I need to learn control. I can hurt people and I’ve done it before. Deaton’s changed my mentor, he’s hoping that will help some. Results won’t be immediate, but I want to work at it. I don’t want to accidentally hurt someone because I’m having a shit day and my IED is acting up. I...” Liam hesitated a moment, chewing on his lip. “I think I want to up my medicine.”

“I didn’t know you were taking medicine for anything,” Mason said after a short pause. “IED? That’s like...an explosive disorder, right?” Liam nodded his head, biting the inside of his cheek. Sometimes he forgot that not everyone at the school knew what was going on with him. He’d told Theo all about it during one of their earliest sparring sessions, but he must have forgotten to tell Mason and Corey.

“I haven’t really taken my meds since I got here,” Liam admitted. “They make me tired and sluggish. But maybe it would be good to be a little drugged up until I learn some control. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah. But maybe you should hold off on taking the medicine and upping your dosage. This new mentor thing could really help.” Mason said. “Who did you get paired with? Is it Derek? I bet he’d be a really chill mentor for you. Oh! Stiles might want to kick your ass though, fair warning.”

“Actually, it’s not a professor here.” Liam scratched the back of his neck, biting down on the inside of his cheek as he looked at his friends. “It’s...uh...it’s Theo.”

 _“What?!”_ Mason squawked, his eyes going comically wide as he grabbed at Liam’s wrist and smacked the back of his hand. “Are you serious?! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“It literally happened yesterday, calm down.” Liam snorted softly. “In case you forgot, I was having a crisis and some anger issues yesterday.”

“You’re forgiven for all. Tell me everything.” Mason said immediately. Chuckling, Liam nodded and quickly outlined his discussion with Deaton. When he was finished, Mason let out a low whistle and clicked his tongue. “Man. How are you going to keep hiding that massive crush you have on him?”

“I regret telling you that,” Liam sighed unhappily. “I really, really do.”

“Shut up,” Mason laughed. “So? Are you nervous?”

“Well...it gets worse.” Liam sighed, knowing he was going to regret what he was about to share. He explained the almost kiss in a rush and then outlined all of the details from the previous day, starting with the strained lunch that led to his angry outburst, followed by Malia’s bizarre outburst, and ending with him waking up in Theo’s arms. “I kind of think I’m totally screwed,” he concluded. Now that Theo knew about his crush, was he supposed to keep hiding it? Was he supposed to act any differently? What if Theo expected him to tone it down? But that was ridiculous. The other boy had almost kissed him. Theo definitely felt something for him and Liam didn’t know what to do about it.

“You really are,” Mason agreed. Corey gently smacked him in the arm. “But,” Mason continued with a fond look at his boyfriend, “I think you can still salvage whatever this is between the two of you. Asking Matt out was dumb, don’t get me wrong, but you made sure he knew it would be a group setting. So there’s no real obligation to him _and_ you can invite Theo out. And me and Corey as your wingmen, of course.”

“Of course.” Liam replied dryly.

“No, dude, this is great. Perfect. We can totally fix this. And before you say you need to focus on yourself, maybe you’re right. You need to learn control. But you also shouldn’t shut out the possibility of falling for someone. Theo...he’s actually a really good guy and I can’t believe I’m saying that, but it’s true. And you’re the reason I’m starting to see how wrong I was about him. So take the time for yourself, that’s fine. Just don’t lose him in the process, okay?” Mason said.

“I’ll try.” Liam said, nodding as he reached for his drink. Training with Theo as his mentor was going to be hard enough. He wanted to impress the other boy and work on his control as fast as possible. He couldn’t perfect it in days, but he was willing to put in all of the time and effort until it only took a few weeks. And as far as going out with Matt...maybe Mason was right. Maybe he should ask Theo to tag along as part of the group. Hell, maybe he should invite everyone out to do something fun. Whatever happened, he had time to figure it out. Right?


	11. Chapter 11

The first couple of classes went by in a blur. Liam surprised himself by actively taking notes and participating in lectures, trying to prove that he was a capable student. He was done screwing around and ignoring the reason he was here in the first place. When he raised his hand in Peter Hale’s class and correctly answered a question about the history of mutants, he felt like he almost truly belonged. Across the room, Mason gave him a thumbs up and something settled in his chest. Things were going to be okay.

As they headed down the hall for lunch, Liam’s thoughts drifted to Theo. He was probably still curled up in bed, sleeping off his sickness. Maybe a bowl of soup would help make him feel better. He was pretty sure he could get a bowl back upstairs and check on Theo before joining Mason and Corey for a bit.

Ten minutes later, Liam had a bottled water tucked under his armpit and a bowl of chicken noodle soup in hand. He lightly kicked at the bottom of Theo’s door to gain entrance, waiting patiently for the other boy to open the door. He listened for the quiet shuffling inside, smiling brightly as a confused Theo opened the door. “Hey. I thought maybe you could use some lunch. Hungry?” He asked.

“Lunch time already?” Theo asked, scratching the back of his neck.

“Yeah. I wasn’t sure if you’d eaten anything. I was worried.” Liam admitted softly. Theo’s gaze flicked down the hall before he stepped back, opening his door all the way. Stepping inside, Liam’s gaze was drawn to the tv where Theo had been playing video games. “Have you gone to see Melissa yet?” He asked, setting the bowl down on Theo’s nightstand.

“Not yet.” Theo said. Liam turned, crossing his arms over his chest. He took a moment to study the other boy, pursing his lips. Theo looked fine. He was well rested, his skin had a healthy glow to it, and he was bright eyed and awake. Something wasn’t adding up. “Thanks for the sou-“

“You’re not really sick, are you?” Liam asked quietly. Theo’s face fell instantly, a dust of color on his cheeks. “You lied?”

“Liam. It’s a lot more complicated than that.” Theo said softly. Gray and brown rippled through his wings, crossing paths and weaving together in patterns that made no sense.

“You don’t trust me.” Liam said flatly. He shouldn’t be surprised. Despite all the camaraderie of the past couple of weeks, nothing had changed between them. Theo still didn’t trust him with the truth. He was hiding parts of himself that Liam longed to understand and he didn’t know how to change that. He’d been pouring himself out to the other boy and had learned next to nothing in return. “I should go.” Straightening up, he took a step around Theo and headed for the door.

“Hang on a second.” Liam had made it four steps before Theo turned on his heel, catching him by the elbow. “Will you let me get in a word or two? Damn.”

“I don’t really want to be lied to,” Liam muttered as he tugged away.

“If I hadn’t told you I was sick, you would have knowingly lied to everyone else. I wasn’t going to ask that of you.” Theo said as he reached the door. “I don’t want to go on Scott’s mission. The only ways to avoid missions are failing grades in classes or sickness. So I’m sick.”

“Why?” Liam rested his fingers against the doorknob, hesitating. “Why don’t you want to go?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Theo-“

“Liam. Some things you just can’t ask of me.” Theo sighed heavily. “I’m not ready to talk about it. Just...if anyone asks, I’m sick. Okay? Please.”

“I make no promises.” He didn’t know how to feel about lying to the others. Wasn’t he supposed to be gaining their trust? Would lying for Theo put him on everyone’s bad side? He hated being caught in something like this. It felt like he was on a constant roller coaster in this damned school. “Why can’t you just say you don’t want to go?” He finally asked, glancing over his shoulder. Theo’s wings were completely gray, his shoulders slumped.

“Deaton thinks I should do it. Ultimately the decision is mine, but Scott would just be disappointed in me as usual and Stiles would start up being a bigger ass than he is on a good day. I’m finally getting back in their good graces, Liam. I haven’t been for years. Being sick is the easiest way to make sure I don’t screw that up. I can’t tell you why I don’t want to go. That’s my business, not yours. I don’t owe you that.” Despite the harshness of his words, his tone was gentle and Liam couldn’t deny the truth in them. It didn’t really make things easier, but at least he understood just a little more than he had. It was progress.

“You’re right. But Theo?” Liam turned the doorknob and cracked it open, “I think you should talk to someone. It doesn’t have to be me, but you’re obviously dealing with something that puts you on edge. You’re stressed out and that’s not healthy. I’m worried about you. You lying and caring what people think about you? That’s not you. That’s not the Theo I know.” Shaking his head, he slipped out of the bedroom and the door clicked softly shut behind him. When Theo didn’t follow, Liam’s heart sank. He trudged back to the stairwell and headed back to the cafeteria, wishing that he had some kind of explanation.

-

“Everything okay?” Mason asked as Liam set his tray across from him. Shrugging, he dropped down into his seat and nodded a greeting at Corey. He shoved a handful of fries in his mouth and reached for his water, taking a long gulp as soon as he’d swallowed.

“Theo’s sick. Just wanted to take him some soup and check on him.” Liam said. The words tasted sour in his mouth.

“I was wondering.” Corey bit down on his lip, leaning forward on his elbows. “See-“

“Hey, kiddies. I need to borrow Liam here for a second.” Brett’s palms descended on the table and he leaned down, angling a smirk at Liam. “Grab your tray, Scott and I need a word.”

“Uh...okay.” Shooting Mason a furtive glance, Liam grabbed his tray and mouthed an apology. Brett steered him across the cafeteria and into a booth. He dropped down on Liam’s free side, caging him against the wall and draping an arm across the back of the booth. “Am I in some kind of trouble?” He asked, glancing warily at Brett and then Scott across from him.

“Not at all.” Scott assured gently. “You just came from Theo’s room, right? I wanted to ask how he was doing.”

“He’s a goddamn liar-“ Brett started. Scott shot him a hard look and he clicked his mouth shut, rolling his eyes.

“He said he was sick.” Liam replied, turning his attention to Scott. Brett snorted derisively and Scott’s expression dropped. “He is,” he insisted. “He wasn’t feeling well when he woke up.”

“Oh.” Brett’s eyes glittered with interest. “You spent the night? Tell me, Liam, do you spend all of your nights in his bed?” He purred.

“Ignore him.” Sighing, Scott set one hand on the table. “Liam. I know this is a lot to ask of you, but I was hoping you could take some sense into Theo.”

“I told you-“

“Yeah, yeah. Sick.” Brett scoffed. “He does this every time we need him on a mission.”

“But it’s his right to refuse, isn’t it?” Liam challenged. Brett raised an eyebrow, inclining his head. “So why do you need him so badly? He has the right to refuse. We’re in a school. We aren’t required to risk our lives if we don’t want to.”

“Oh, I like this one.” Smirking, Brett flicked his gaze to Scott. “Do you want to tell him?”

“Don’t treat me like I’m not here.” Liam warned.

“Enough.” Scott’s firm tone brought them both back and Liam flushed. “Liam. You’re absolutely right. Theo has the right to refuse any mission. He would just be a really big asset. With his help...the mission would be a guaranteed success. Without him, people will probably get hurt.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Liam protested.

“Sure it does. Think about it like this. Would you rather have to fight your way into a war zone or would you rather be dropped off where you need to be?” Brett asked. “Theo’s the only one that can fly. We need him to drop us off in the middle of our zone. Without him? We’ve got to fight our way to the inside. It’ll be a fucking mess.”

“Is it really fair of you to rely on one person?” Liam asked, frowning.

“We don’t want to. This is just...a difficult mission. There’s a lot at stake and we just want to do everything we can to make sure everyone comes out okay. That’s all.” Scott murmured gently. “I just wanted to ask that you talk to Theo. Even if it doesn’t change anything, at least you’ll have tried.”

“Why me?”

“Because Theo actually likes you and tolerates you. The rest of us could go to hell for all he cares.” Brett muttered bitterly.

“He thinks you all hate him.” He shouldn’t have said it. The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Shock flashed across Scott’s expression and anger thundered over Brett. “But you all ignore him. You don’t invite him out to things, you don’t include him, how else is he supposed to feel?”

“Typical. Let me tell you something, Liam. Theo? Theo’s isolation isn’t entirely on us. A lot of it is self-imposed. Eventually you get to the point where you stop trying to reach out and leave people alone. You’re new, Liam. You’ve only got the rumors and the stories and what Theo tells you. And for the record, I’m fucking glad he’s talking to someone. But don’t you think for a goddamn second that I hate him. The wall between us is the one he built.” Brett’s voice was ice. Liam nodded weakly, watching the taller boy slide from the booth and pull a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. “Going to smoke, Scott. See you in class.”

“Thanks, Brett.” Scott nodded his dismissal and the other boy walked away. Liam’s eyes strayed after him and he watched Garrett rise from his seat as Brett touched the back of his chair, sliding under his arm as they left the cafeteria. “Sorry about him.”

“Don’t be.”

“Brett and Theo used to be close. Best friends close when Brett first came here. Seeing you and Theo so close...I think it strikes a nerve.”

“What happened between them?”

“I don’t know all the details. Just that they had a huge falling out and didn’t speak to each other for days.” Scott shrugged slightly and offered a half hearted smile. “I’d appreciate it if you could try and talk some sense into Theo. Whatever he’s afraid of, we’ll make sure it doesn’t happen.”

“I’ll mention it. But Scott? He doesn’t really trust me, either. We might be friends, but it’s a hard battle some days. Whatever you think it is I can do, just be aware that I’m not a magician. I can’t just make it happen. But I promise I’ll say something to him when I check on him later. Anything else?” Liam asked, gripping the edges of his tray.

“Classes going well for you? And your mentor program?” Scott’s smile reminded Liam of a loyal puppy and he couldn’t help but smile in turn.

“I’m getting back on track. I had to change mentors, but I think it was for the best.”

“Good. And Liam? I might be a little older, but I’m here if you ever need anything.” Scott promised. Nodding, Liam gathered his things and walked back to the table where Mason and Corey sat. They both perked up instantly and he sighed, shaking his head. Between bites of his burger he filled them in, leaving out the details of Theo faking being sick but sticking close to the truth. From the looks on both their faces, neither was surprised.

“Dude.” Mason tapped one finger against the table and shook his head. “That’s messed up. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know.” What was Liam supposed to do? Theo was his friend and he cared about him.

“You should definitely stay out of it.” Mason advised.

“Yeah. You’ve got enough on your plate right now. And Brett was right, you are new here. You’ll be safer in the long run if you stay out of things.” Corey piped in.

“Scott has no business putting you in the middle of this. He’s a dick,” Mason said bluntly. “Brett, too.”

“So I shouldn’t tell Theo that Brett and Scott wanted me to talk to him?” Liam bit down on the inside of his cheek.

“Stay out of it,” Mason repeated firmly. “I’m telling you. If you get sucked into the middle of this, you’re going to be choosing sides until you graduate.” He reached for a bag of chips and popped them open, taking a few. Liam nodded, letting this information digest as he started to finish his lunch. He would take Mason’s advice and stay out of it. If he stayed out of it, he couldn’t be blamed for what happened next. Taking comfort in that, he solidified his decision and locked away the information he’d been given. Things would be fine.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge shoutout to John for helping me with something I was stuck on in this chapter!

As lunch came to an end, Liam found himself with fifteen minutes to spare before his next class started. He was used to filling up the space talking with Theo, but today was different. Without Theo at his side and with Mason and Corey talking about a class he didn’t take, he needed something to do. He grabbed his bag and walked outside, hoping to get some time to clear his head. The first thing to catch his attention was smoke in the air, steadily unfurling from Brett’s cigarette dangling at his side. He and Garrett were standing just off the beaten path, locked in quiet conversation that dissolved as Liam approached.

“Sorry to bother you,” he said softly, “but can I talk to Brett?” He asked. Garrett flicked his gaze to his boyfriend who gave him a nod, flicking ash from his cigarette.

“It’s fine. I’ll see you later.” Brett murmured. Garrett leaned in and pecked him softly on the lips, gently squeezing the back of his neck before walking away to give them privacy.

“I just wanted to ask-“

“About Theo,” Brett finished softly. “You lasted ten minutes longer than Garrett expected. He owes me a date.” He smirked faintly and lifted his cigarette, taking a long drag from it. “Look,” he exhaled softly, “for the record, I don’t agree with it.”

“With Theo being sick?” Liam asked, a hard edge in his voice.

“What? No. I don’t agree with Scott,” Brett snorted. “If Theo wants to fake sick instead of talking to Scott, that’s his call to make. Scott knows better than to pressure him. It’s the same song and dance every time there’s a mission.”

“If it’s the same song and dance, why does Scott keep trying?” Liam asked.

“Because Scott doesn’t know when to give up.”

“Giving up on Theo-“

“Liam. Word of advice to you. Don’t ever put words in my mouth.” Brett’s mouth thinned out, his eyes darkening. “I said Scott doesn’t know  _ when _ to give up. There’s a lot of things that you don’t know, Liam. Theo wants to be left out of missions. Fuck, I wish he was. The last thing I want is for him to be forced to do something against his will.” He tapped out the ash from the end of his cigarette.

“Then why did you ask this morning?” Liam asked, folding his arms over his chest.

“I didn’t. All I did was grab you because Scott wanted to talk to you.” Brett replied evenly.

“You didn’t exactly protest against Scott,” Liam countered.

“Because Scott’s heard my arguments a million times.” Brett snorted. “Why waste my breath arguing with him? Look, Liam. You don’t have to like me. Hell, I really don’t care if you believe me at this point. But Theo? He’s lucky to have you and I’m happy he does.” His voice quivered and Liam watched as he turned away, shoulders hunching.

“What happened between you and Theo?” Liam asked softly, taking a cautious step closer.

“Liam-“

“Tell me. Please? I’m trying to understand, but you all make it so difficult with your secrets.” Liam huffed.

“I was just going to suggest that you meet me in the gym after class.” Brett’s cigarette hit the ground, crushed under the sole of his boot immediately. “We leave for our mission tonight, but I’ve got time to talk before then.”

“Oh. I’m sorr-“

“Don’t be. You don’t like me, Liam. That’s fine. I don’t need your acceptance to be able to sleep at night. You and everyone else here think I’m an asshole and that’s the way of things.” Brett turned back, offering a tight-lipped smile. “I’ve got to get to class. If I’m late, Argent probably won’t be so forgiving.” He let out a humorless chuckle. “I’ll see you after dinner. And don’t worry, we don’t have to box. I know that’s yours and Theo’s thing.” His lips twitched into a ghost of a smile before he slid his hands into his pockets, heading back toward the building. Liam watched him go, his mind racing as the other boy kept walking.

-

Liam stepped into the dimly lit gym, not surprised that only Brett was there. Most of the school was hanging out with the mission team before they left. No one had seemed to notice their disappearance. Despite Brett being a part of the team, Liam somehow got the feeling that Brett wasn’t as well liked as he’d first believed. Only Garrett had commented on his absence, quietly reminding Liam that he was a airing in the gym for the pyromancer to show up. When he arrived, he found Brett lifting weights with his back to the mirror. “Hey,” he said quietly.

“Hey,” Brett echoed. He set the weights down at his feet, nodding toward the treadmill. “Think I’m going to run. Wanna join me?” He asked. Nodding, Liam waited for Brett to set the weights back where they belonged and made his way over to the treadmills. He stepped on and began setting up a leisurely pace, frowning as Brett immediately moved into a light jog. For a couple of minutes, there was only the sound of their feet slapping against the conveyor belts and Brett’s heavy breathing.

“Theo and I were best friends.” Brett began after Liam was ready to give up hope. “But you already heard that part. You just want to know why we aren’t anymore.”

“If you’re willing to tell me.” Liam said, glancing at the other boy.

“Anyone ever tell you what I can do?” Brett asked. Liam shook his head, murmuring as much. “Deaton calls it a hypnotic kiss. I can hypnotize people and put them under my spell. I’m branching out, I can do it through touch now and sometimes with my voice.”

“Sounds dangerous.” Liam said. Brett’s jaw clenched for a moment before his expression smoothed back out. “Is it hard to control?”

“Sometimes. Theo and I...we were close. But Theo saw me kissing someone and didn’t like what he saw. He thought I was manipulating the other person because of my power. It didn’t matter that...” Brett trailed off, shaking his head. “We disagreed. Theo was convinced I used my power because the other person started to like me and treat me better afterwards. I couldn’t convince him he was wrong.”

“And you’re sure you were in control that day?” Liam asked. Pain flashed over Brett’s face, twisting his expression before he jerked his head to the side and looked away. “Brett?”

“Maybe I wasn’t. I don’t know.” Brett murmured hoarsely. “You should go, Liam.”

“Brett-“

“I’m glad you’re training with Theo now.” Brett cleared his throat. “He’s a good match for you.” Shaky fingers pressed against the machine and the speed kicked up. “I’ll see you when I get back.” He reached down into his pocket, retrieving his cell phone and headphones.

“I didn’t mean to upset you.” Liam murmured. “I shouldn’t have questioned your control.”

“Don’t be sorry. Everyone doubts me.” Brett’s smile twisted into something pained. “Go on, Liam. I’m going to be here a while longer.” He put his headphones on, effectively ending the conversation.

Liam powered down the treadmill and began to leave the gym, pausing in the doorway as he heard Brett take a breath. “I told Theo I’d always be there for him when he needed me. He hasn’t needed me since.” He waited for more, but only silence followed.

With his thoughts spinning out of control, Liam hurried back to the main building. He took the stairs two at a time, knocking once before bursting into Theo’s room. The other boy sat on his bed, frowning as he paused his game and looked at Liam. “Manners?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

“What happened with you and Brett?” Liam didn’t waste any time, sitting down on the foot of the bed. “Why aren’t you friends anymore?”

“Why are you talking to Brett about me?” Theo fired back, heat in his voice.

“I’m just trying to get some fucking answers! I’m tired of the secrets, Theo. From everyone. Especially when it comes to you. Brett was devastated today when I accused him of not caring about you. A friend like that? Why would you let him go? What fight could be so bad to end a friendship that strong? It’s obvious he cares about you.”

“Brett doesn’t give a damn about me. He’s upset because I caught him in the act,” Theo snapped. Red flared through his wings. “He used his power on someone to get his way. He almost got expelled for it and then he admitted he lost control. He begged me to cover for him, to not tell anyone what I saw. Is that what you want to hear?”

“Brett didn’t mention the expulsion,” Liam said weakly.

“Because he’s ashamed he got caught. He knows he fucked up and manipulated someone to do what he wanted and he won’t face the consequences. I don’t feel sorry for him, Liam. Why should I?” Theo muttered darkly. “Why the hell were you talking to Brett about me?”

Liam bit down on his tongue, remembering Mason and Corey warning him to stay out of things. He wanted to tell Theo about his conversations with Brett, the way the other boy hadn’t wanted Theo to be involved in the mission. But it wasn’t too late to stop digging this hole. He bit down on the inside of his cheek, shaking his head slightly as he dropped his gaze. “We were just talking in the gym. He said he was glad you had me as a friend.” He said softly. “I’m sorry. He just...seemed genuine.”

“Brett’s as genuine as a three dollar bill.” Theo said under his breath. Liam didn’t answer, exhaling softly. “Since you’re here, you want to play a round with me?” Theo jabbed his thumb at the screen.

“I...you aren’t kicking me out?” Liam asked.

“No. I’m more pissed at Brett right now than you. You’re curious. And you’re right. Hiding things from you isn’t the best solution. Just...be a little more patient, okay? I just need to figure some things out first.” Theo offered a strained smile that Liam weakly returned. He grabbed a second controller from beside the tv and glanced at the window, watching the field outside light up as the jet was prepared for takeoff. He wasn’t sure what to believe, but for now he’d try and push it all aside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m considering doing a chapter from another character’s perspective. (Not Theo. Can’t do him.) But maybe someone like Brett who is on the mission and show you a different side of things. Thoughts?


End file.
